Lake Natron

Tanzania · extreme environment · salt lake · Africa

Incredibly salty water. Lake Natron is so alkaline and salty that it's one of the harshest environments on Earth. Most fish and plants can't survive in it, but special bacteria and algae thrive in these extreme conditions.

Bright pink color. The lake appears pink or red because of trillions of algae and bacteria that love salty water. This color can look different depending on the sunlight and the time of year.

Calcifies dead animals. When animals fall into Lake Natron, the extremely alkaline water can preserve them by turning them into stone-like formations. This happens because the chemicals in the lake pull moisture from their bodies and harden them.

Flamingo paradise. Millions of Lesser Flamingos live around Lake Natron because they love the algae that grows in the salty water. The lake is one of the most important breeding grounds for these pink birds in Africa.

Part of the Rift Valley. Lake Natron sits in the Gregory Rift, which is part of the East African Rift system. This massive geological feature stretches for thousands of miles and was created by Earth's crust slowly pulling apart.