Exceptions to this include the many forms of microscopic diatom algae that thrive in this hard climate and supply food for hundreds of thousands of lesser flamingos, for whom this is the most significant breeding place on the planet. Lake Natron serves as a refuge and the sole regular breeding location in East Africa for the 2.5 million Lesser Flamingos, with Africa’s tallest active volcanic mountain, Ol Doinyo Lengai, the “Mountain of God in the Maasai language” to the south. The sodium carbonate and other minerals that flow into the lake from the surrounding volcanic rock hills and lava flows provide the lake’s alkalinity, which does not drain to any river or sea other than evaporation. Lake Natron is one of two alkaline lakes in East Africa, the other being Lake Bahi, which is perhaps the world’s most caustic body of water and perhaps the most striking of all the rift valley lakes, with a PH of 10.5. Regardless, Lake Natron is the foundation for both important species and scientific study, so there is much to lose if people begin to mistreat it.Situated in the East African country of Tanzania, Lake Natron is fed by mineral-rich hot springs and is less than three meters deep. This breathtaking location is located just north of the Ngorongoro Crater and is part of Africa’s vast Great Rift Valley, which is 600 metres above sea level. Threats to divert nearby rivers into Lake Natron would change its water composition, thereby putting the lake’s wildlife at high risk.Īt first glance, Lake Natron appears to be both an example of life imitating art and life imitating horror. Although a nontraditional ecosystem, Lake Natron’s niche wildlife web requires balance like any other. Nearly 2.5 million flamingos use the lake’s shores as breeding grounds each year, accompanied by thriving algae and a single resilient species of fish. However, to say that the lake is completely absent of life is an act of injustice toward the flocks of flamingos that call the lake their home. Brandt suspects that the reflective surface of the lake tricks birds into believing it’s open air, leading the birds to drown in the deadly water. He perches the birds on branches and poses the bats in order to make them look “alive.” With the help of locals, Brandt collected the best specimens and masterfully crafted chilling portraits of the fallen animals. It is a remote place, 7 hours of car far from. Nature photographer Nick Brandt chose to turn this site into a fascinating art project. Lake Natron is located in the African Rift Valley at about 600 meters above sea level, near the Kenya border. Scientists explain that the high salinity of the lake “freezes” the animals, perfectly preserving them with all of their wings and feathers in place. Long lines of dead birds and bats cover the shoreline, with each specimen preserved in a stonelike state. In addition, a peculiar site is found at the shores of the lake. Lake Natron can also reach a steamy state, with the water’s temperature recorded to reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The water in this lake only flows inward, so evaporation leaves behind hefty salt deposits. Lake Natron in Tanzania is a highly inhospitable environment, with alkalinity levels above pH 12 and temperatures reaching 60 C. This causes the lake’s pH level to be a very basic 10.5 this pH level falls only a bit short of that of ammonia and bleach. The deposits of natron, a chemical salt, flow in from the surrounding hills. Lake Natron is a salt lake, meaning it is incredibly alkaline. Although often photographed for its location under sunlit clouds and for its serene backdrop, the lake is an abyss for almost all wildlife. Lake Natron sits along the East African Rift System in northern Tanzania, and is 35 miles long and about half as wide. For instance, in the East African nation of Tanzania lies the deadly Lake Natron. Nonetheless, the complexity of nature has created exceptions to this rule. Water itself stands as a symbol of life ancient Egypt thrived due to fertile soil that would have been absent had it not been for the Nile River. Lakes and rivers are often credited in many civilizations’ lengthy histories for providing a means of transportation and crucial food security. In nearly any social studies class, bodies of water are framed as life-giving and as focal points for the world’s nations.
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