Lake Natron Phenomenon

Lake Natron phenomenon - beauty and horror wildlife Tanzania

Natron is a salty and alkaline lake located in the Arusha region in northern Tanzania, on the border with Kenya. The lake is located in the Gregory Rift, which is the eastern part of the East African Rift. The basin of Lake Natron is protected by the international Ramsar Convention.

Natron is mainly fed by the Ewaso Ngiro River, which originates in a mineral-rich area in Northern Kenya. The lake has a depth of no more than three meters and changes the coastline depending on the season and water level. The lake maximum reaches 57 km in length and 22 km in width. A seasonal downpour passes over the lake in May-December and brings 800 mm of precipitation. The water temperature in the wetlands can reach 50 degrees Celsius, and depending on the water level, the alkalinity can reach a pH of 9 to 10.5.

Lake Natron in Tanzania: characteristics

The depth of Lake Natron is quite small, because in some places it does not even reach 3 meters. The area, on the contrary, is rather big - 1344 km2. Since the air temperature in this area often crosses the 50 ° C mark, the water in Natron also warms up to similar values.

Natron is an integral part of today's most active volcanic system, the African Great Rift. Obvious manifestations of seismic activity relatively recently showed the nearby volcano Oldonyo Lengai. So, he erupted in October 2008, and a couple of years later woke up again.

The water in the lake has a red color, this feature is caused by the activity of microorganisms. Near the shore, the water acquires an orange tint, because. in this place the number of organisms is less. There are areas where the water is clean and clear, but there are not very many such places.

Scientists have tried to explain the phenomenon of the Tanzanian reservoir. They found that the hydrogen indicator in the local waters (having average 10.5) and excess alkaline impurities lead to the formation a large number soda, minerals and salts, which lead to the petrification of animal remains.

Scientists still cannot say with complete certainty why birds often fall into the lake or within it, but there is a theory that the reservoir has strong reflective properties that prevent birds from orienting themselves in space normally.

Flora and fauna

It would seem that neither flora nor fauna can live in such a harsh environment. However, such an aggressive environment turned out to be comfortable for several species of algae, fish and small flamingos. This is their only breeding site in the region, since there are practically no predators in the area. The poisonous environment of the lake has become a kind of invisible barrier for predators, so they bypass the lake. During the evaporation season, islands form on the lake - flamingos build their nests and breed on them.

The number of flamingos on the lake reaches several million. Among other things, they feed on blue-green algae containing beta-carotene, which gives the feathers a bright pink color.

As far as Lake Natron is beautiful, it is so severe - if an animal falls into the lake, it immediately dies, and its remains harden in natural poses, turning into “mummies”.

Ecology

Threats to the salinity balance may come from increased silting of the tributaries of the Lake Natron watershed and the planned hydroelectric power plant at Lake Ewaso Ngiro. While development plans include building a dam at the northern end of the lake to contain fresh water, the threat of dissolution of the salty part of the lake is still serious. So far, there is no formal protection of the salty part of the lake.

A new threat to Lake Natron is the proposed development of a potash plant on its shores. The plant would pump water from the lake and extract potassium carbonate to convert it into washing powder. The construction of the plant would provide housing for more than 1,000 plant workers and a coal-fired power plant providing power to the plant complex. In addition, developers can use hybrid brine shrimp to increase extraction efficiency.

According to Chris Magin, RSPB Africa Officer, “The chances of lesser flamingos to continue breeding in the face of such a pogrom are slim to none. This development could lead to the extinction of lesser flamingos in East Africa.” Currently, a group of fifty East African environmentalists is leading an international campaign to stop the planned construction of a potash factory by Tata Chemicals Ltd (India) and the National Construction Corporation of Tanzania.

In June 2008, Tata Chemicals refused to resume construction of the factory due to the Ramsar Convention.

Due to its unique biodiversity, the Lake Natron Basin was included in the list of wetlands of international importance of the Ramsar Convention on July 4, 2001. The lake is also included in the World Wildlife Fund East Africa region.

Salei pastures

The owners of Lake Natron can be called the Salei tribe, belonging to the Masai clan. These people spend their whole lives searching for the best pasture around the shores of the lake. The Masai are a warlike people, because they have long been accustomed to defending their territory. Fortunately for tourists, now the inhabitants of Northern Tanzania are much more liberal towards visitors.

Amazing pictures

The mysterious lake in Tanzania attracted the attention of the photographer not by chance: Nick Brandt specializes in black and white photography of wild African animals.

Visiting Natron, the photographer was struck by the abundance of bird skeletons that can be found in the coastal strip, so it became necessary to find an explanation for this phenomenon.

Nick Brandt was able to find several surviving "statues" of birds. He set them in natural poses against the background of the water, because in the pictures they look like they are alive. In the photographs you can see a small flamingo, a dove and an eagle. By the way, Lake Natron is unique in that it is the only place where small flamingos breed (although, as we can see, some birds die right there).

Swimming in Lake Natron is not worth it. Any contact with alkaline water threatens with burns and swelling of the skin - it is better not to risk it. However, from one glance at the skeletons of animals and birds scattered around the lake and their calcareous mummies, it will become clear that it is better not to get close to Natron.

It is worth planning a few days for a trip to Lake Natron. You can spend the night in campsites located near the natural attraction. It is not necessary to book accommodation in advance.

A trip to Lake Natron can be combined with climbing the Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, one of the most active in East Africa. It is located nearby.

How to get there?

The city of Arusha, closest to Lake Natron, is located 240 kilometers to the southeast. Bus service connects Arusha with the cities of Tanzania - Dodoma (420 kilometers; travel time - 6 hours), Dar es Salaam (640 kilometers; travel time - 9 hours) and others. You can also get to Arusha by bus from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya; the journey takes 4 hours. There is no rail service in this part of Africa.

Kilimanjaro International Airport is located 50 kilometers east of Arusha. Air traffic connects the airport with Amsterdam, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Zanzibar, Kigali - the capital of Rwanda, and Addis Ababa - the capital of Ethiopia.

There are no organized excursions from Arusha to Lake Natron. Usually a visit to this natural attraction is included in tours to the Oldoinyo Lengai volcano. That's why The best way to get directly - rent an SUV and hire a guide in one of the travel agencies Arushi. Individual program will cost more than a standard tour - on average by a third. It is not worth going to Natron without a local guide.

Sources

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natron

Location: northern Tanzania, Arusha region
Square: 1040 sq. km
Height above sea level: 800 m
Length: 57 km
Width: 22 km
Depth: up to 3 m

In the north African country, on the border with Kenya, there is a unique lake - Natron. Every year it attracts many tourists who come here to admire it. unusual view reminiscent of a surreal alien landscape. So, let's find out what is the secret of the red waters of the lake and why the inhabitants of the surrounding villages avoid this area.

Lake Natron is very shallow (its depth varies from 1.5 to 3 m), so it warms up to 50 and even 60°C. The content of sodium salts in the waters of the lake is so high that a film forms on its surface, and in the hottest months (February and March), even the water becomes viscous because of this. These conditions favor the activity of the halophilic cyanobacteria that live in Lake Natron, due to the pigment of which the water has a blood-red color. However, the shade of the water changes depending on the time of year and depth - the lake can be orange or pinkish, and sometimes looks like an ordinary body of water.

But the most interesting and exciting fact is that the waters of Natron carry a real danger. Due to the high level of alkali, salt-laden water causes severe burns if a person, animal or bird dives into the lake. It was here that many birds found their death. Subsequently, their bodies harden and mummify, becoming covered with mineral substances. Photographer Nick Brandt found many of these bird remains here while collecting material for his book Through the Tortured Land. His photographs, which made this body of water famous all over the world, became the basis of a legend that says that Lake Natron turns animals into stone.

Only a few species of animals can live here. For example, in summer time, during the mating season, thousands of small flamingos fly to the lake. They make nests on rocks and even islands of salt, and the ambient temperature allows the birds to breed without problems under the protection of the lake. Random predators do not wander here, scared away bad smell emanating from the lake.

As for people, the Salei tribe from the Maasai clan living by the lake are real natives. They have been living here for many hundreds of years, militantly guarding their territory, which they use as pastures. By the way, the remains of Homo Sapiens, which had lain in the ground for more than 30 thousand years, were found in this area. Apparently, it is not for nothing that the African continent is considered the birthplace of man.

How to get to Lake Natron in Tanzania?

No separate trips are organized to Lake Natron. There are two ways to get to this unique place: either during a tour to the Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, or on your own by renting an SUV in Arusha. However, keep in mind that an individual visit, firstly, will cost you more, and secondly, it will be very risky without a guide or guide from among the locals.

A lake that kills or disfigures almost any living thing that touches its water. Sounds creepy and fantastic. And not believable at all. But, imagine, such a lake really exists on our amazing planet. His name is Natron.

In this article, we will tell you how this lake kills, what is its danger, where Natron is located, and how much the cheapest tickets to it cost.

Where is Lake Natron

A dangerous natural reservoir is located in northern Tanzania, almost on the border with Kenya.

The lake is part of the rift valley. By the way, this volcanic zone is still one of the most active on Earth. The volcano closest to the lake is Lengai, last time woke up in 2010.

The territory close to the natural pool looks very mystical and deserted, as if life has completely stopped here.

How to get to Lake Natron cheaply

You understand, due to the remoteness from Russia, getting to the lake cannot be cheap. Yes, the road will be long. The easiest and fastest way to get there, if, of course, this word is applicable at all in this situation, is to get to it from the city of Arusha. You can get to Arusha from Nairobi by bus. The journey will take 4 hours. More fast way there is no movement in those parts yet.

But we tried and found the best for you profitable proposition - on the Aviasales.ru- per 30 678 rubles.

If you do not want to get to Natron on your own, look for local travel agencies in Nairobi. They organize excursions to the lake and volcanoes. This option will cost more, but you do not need to worry about anything. Excursions are also good because the guide will tell you a lot interesting information about this natural reservoir and the area as a whole.

What is the danger of Lake Natron

As we have already shared with you, this water can kill. And it does this successfully to this day with living beings who decided to swim there.

Lake Natron does not even reach 3 meters in depth. But it is almost 57 km long, more than 22 km wide. But the danger of Natron is not in its size.

The deadly nature of the lake is explained as follows. It is the most salty and alkaline in the world. At a water temperature of up to 60 degrees year-round, its alkalinity is 9-10.5 pH.

In summer, during the evaporation of water, alkalinity rises, and the reservoir becomes even more deadly. Any living creatures, especially small ones, for example, birds, having touched the water, die due to the highest level alkalinity. Death occurs instantly - the creature literally freezes. Over time, it dries up and becomes covered with salt. That is why tourists who come to see the deadly wild beauty see many frozen bird mummies on the lake. The picture, we tell you, is really terrifying. Goosebumps run through the body.

Horror is also added by the dangerous color of the water in the lake - from orange to bright brown. This is due to the fact that certain bacteria live in the water. Depending on the season, they become active and take on a more or less saturated shade of red.

V summer season due to the special aridity of those parts, the lake dries up along the edges, the earth is covered with salt and cracks. This gives its fantastic nature to those landscapes. Imagine: an almost extinct desert, hot earth, volcanoes in the distance, nearby - a bloody lake, which is so tempting to kill, and next to it - petrified statues of birds that once flew here, but never able to get out of this deadly trap ...

Photographer Nick Brandt was the first to photograph these dead birds. On his first visit, he took many stunning photos of Lake Natron and frozen mummies. After that, he gained worldwide fame. True, for the sake of justice, it’s still worth saying that some researchers and travelers who have been here express the opinion that the dead birds on the lake are Brandt’s staged work. Scientists say that it is quite possible that the birds died a natural death, but over time they became covered with fumes, which is why they acquired such an ominously terrible appearance. And the resourceful photographer simply seated them on branches, as if they were frozen on these branches.

Even so, this does not detract from the danger of the lake.

Is it possible for a person to swim in Lake Natron

Only a fool would dare to swim in this pond. After all heat and the alkalinity of the water will quickly lead to severe burns, even if you just put your hand in there. The skin will instantly blister, which will take a very long time to heal. Needless to say, the scale of the disaster, if a person completely climbs into this water. It can even lead to death.

Is there life on the lake

Oddly enough, but some living creatures can still live in such alkaline water. Some of them are small alkaline telapia fish. Others are lesser flamingos. These smart birds build their nests on salty islands, and the pungent smell of water scares away predators. Lake water is deadly only for small chicks that risk falling out of the nest.

When is the best time to go to Natron

As we know, there is never winter in Africa. Therefore, you can come to Tanzania to look at Natron and take amazing photos at any time of the year.

But we advise you to buy the cheapest tickets to Nairobi and, accordingly, to Natron in spring or summer.

To take a photo pink flamingos, which nest in the lake in thousands at the beginning of summer, come, of course, at the beginning of summer. They are also there at other times of the year. But not in such a large amount.

Yes, tickets to Natron cannot be called cheap. But we are sure that real travelers who appreciate unique interesting places of our planet, they will definitely buy tickets and come.

To buy the cheapest ticket to Natron, we advise you to go to Aviasales.ru

Strong impressions to you, friends! Send photo reports after the trip - we will share your work with everyone!

The sunniest continent on our planet is Africa. Almost all of its territory is located in the equatorial and subtropical climatic zones. The nature of this continent is very heterogeneous. Over the past hundred years, due to the ruthless attitude, due to the colonization of territories, she has changed a lot, yet an amazing animal and vegetable world continue to attract attention with their diversity and originality.

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V Lately people have become more humane environment. In Africa, a huge number of national nature reserves. Especially where there is water and they are full of variety of life. One of the states supplied by the standards of Africa water resources, is Tanzania. There are many such parks here, they are rich in exotic representatives of flora and fauna, which are found only in these places.

In the northern part of the country, on the border with Kenya, there is an unusual lake. It is called Natron, after the name of the mineral, sodium carbonate, which predominates in it. Its depth, even during the rainy season from May to December, does not exceed three meters. The lake is fed by thermal springs and the Ewaso Ngiro River, which originates in the north, in Kenya, in a very mineral-rich area. Maximum length Natrona 57km, width 22km, while the outlines of the coast are constantly changing under the influence of the sun.

Why do birds die

Lake water contains a lot of salt, soda, and other minerals. During the hot season, their concentration is so great that the surface of the water resembles a mirror, and becomes invisible to birds and other animals. And since its temperature reaches 50 degrees Celsius, there are practically no chances of survival for living beings, apparently by mistake, trapped in a trap. Animals, falling into the water, instantly die, and their carcasses, covered with minerals, harden and become like stone sculptures, remain on the shore, which looks like a snow-white numb desert.

The frightening beauty of the lake

The unique photographs were taken by the creator of many popular video clips, Nick Brandt, on Lake Natron. The artist depicted lifeless birds, bats in move. His photographs fascinate with black and white elegance, reminiscent of scenes from horror films.

This is not the only frightening feature of the lake. Halophilic cyanobacteria live in its waters. When they absorb light, they turn red. From this, the water, where it is deeper, becomes a bloody color, in shallow water, pink and orange. Since the concentration of minerals is high, it is covered with a crust, which decorates the surface with a pattern, giving it a cracked appearance.

The lake takes on a very sinister shape. To complete the experience, the smell is also added, which exudes evaporating water, saturated with alkali. Especially from a bird's eye view, the landscape is frightening, at the same time it delights with its diabolical charm.

Lake dwellers

It is worth noting that such lifeless pictures accompany the lake not throughout the entire territory and not all the time. The beauty of Natron is not so deadly. In its waters, in addition to bacteria, fish are found. Of course, unusual fish, because they chose the local waters as their habitat. This is alkaline telapia. Moreover, there are two types of them. I must say that these types of telapia are not found anywhere else. Fans of aquarium fish appreciate them for their unpretentiousness and beauty: golden with blue fins. Gourmets - for the abundance of protein and taste.

The lake area serves as an excellent refuge for two and a half million small flamingos. They come here every year. This is practically the only place suitable for their reproduction. An unpleasant smell and high water temperature scare away predators and make the salt islands of the lake suitable for safely incubating eggs and raising chicks.

Huge, constantly moving pink fields look impressive. And absolutely no one will be indifferent to flying birds. Of course, we all saw on TV a picture of flamingos taking off in a huge cloud, but not a single cameraman can convey the sounds of wings mixed with the cries of birds, and the special air of Lake Natron.

legends

The reservoir is located in the Great Rift Fault. This is almost the most active volcanic zone of our planet. Volcano Ol Donyo Lengai, next to which the lake is located, does not sleep. From time to time, it covers the surrounding territories with ashes, which are already not rich in life. Translated from the language of local tribes, this volcano is called "Mountain of the Gods".

According to legend, Natron is a veil that was created by the spirits that live in the volcano for God Lengai, the creator of all life according to the myths of the indigenous population. The people who brought civilization to these areas were going to build a chemical plant for the extraction of caustic soda on the shore of the lake and a power plant in its northern part. But the local shamans dissuaded them, citing the fact that it is possible to cause the wrath of the Gods, therefore, a volcanic eruption. Construction plans have been put on hold, but the fate of Lake Natron is unknown.

The indigenous people of these places are the Salei tribe from the Massai clan. They raise cattle, sell meat, milk. According to legend, this is a tribe of great warriors. They learned this art from a legion of Roman soldiers who once got lost in these parts of Africa. Each man who has reached the age of 15, according to ancient custom, proves his skills in fights with fellow tribesmen, they must be good at spears, bows, and be able to skillfully hunt.

The area adjacent to the lake has an almost untouched appearance. In addition to the villages of local tribes, constantly wandering in search of the best pastures, there are only a few campsites that accept a few tourists who want to climb mountain peaks, to the vents of volcanoes, hunt buffalo, savannah zebra, lion, hyena, jackal, leopard, small cats , some antelopes and gazelles, other animals.

The so-called photo-safari is especially popular here. After all, there are no such terrifying landscapes as on Lake Natron anywhere else. And, although there are still many red salty reservoirs on Earth, such exciting imagination and chilling the soul cannot be found.

On the territory of Tanzania there is a reservoir containing substances that contribute to the petrification of creatures that died next to it. The lake is located in one of the most active volcanic zones on the planet, constantly in motion - in the Great Rift Fault north of the Empakai crater.

The rich blood-red hue of the lake, formed by the microorganisms living in it, is an elusive warning to all living things that have invaded its possessions. Closer to the coast, the water becomes bright orange, as the concentration of bacteria there is much lower. There are also rare places where the water is still of its natural color.

The evaporation of the lake scares off large predators, so it serves as a refuge for many small animals and a huge number of birds. Here they live, breed and die, but after death their bodies do not decompose, but are mummified.

Photographer and writer Nick Brandt captured the aftermath of a rare chemical phenomenon in Lake Natron in his book Across the Tortured Land. In order to clearly demonstrate his vision of what is happening, the author decided to take photographs of the victims of the anomalous reservoir found on its banks. All creatures were located in their natural past life positions, which made his work even more terrifying, and the gray tones of the photographs seemed to emphasize the transience of life.

According to Nick, the pH of the water, which ranges from 9 to 10.5, and the increased level of alkalinity contribute to excessive excretion of soda, salt and lime. This is what causes the effect of petrification.

African shamans from the Masai tribe call Lake Natron a canvas that was created by the gods who live in the sacred volcano Ol Donyo Lengai, at the foot of which there is a reservoir. The name of the volcano in translation from their language sounds like "Mountain of Spirits". When the local tribes heard that people were thinking of building a salt processing plant here, they said that outsiders should not provoke the gods, so as not to incur their wrath.

You can see more photos of this place in ours.