We all enjoy admiring statues. Without a doubt, we’d like one for ourselves. However, it is unquestionably pricey. Oh! There’s no way this debt-ridden life can take on any more debt.
If I say you can have one for free, I’m not kidding. Will you continue to deny it? That is something I don’t believe anyone can deny. There is one condition: you must fall into Lake Natron and surrender your life. This leads me to assume that everything that is given away for free has a cost.
Let’s take a closer look at Lake Natron. Why is this so unique, or should I say dangerous? Why can’t humans survive if they fall into it? Is there anything that lives or reproduces here? And plenty more…
In northern Tanzania’s Arusha District, there is a magnificent and eye-catching lake. Lake Natron has a length of 57 kilometres and a width of 22 kilometres.
It’s also home to some of the strangest pictures ever taken – images that appear to show living animals turning to stone. The main source of water for Lake Natron is the Ewaso Ngiro River, which has its basin in the central Kenyan highlands.
Lets get to the point:
What is the origin of the name Lake Natron?
The soluble salts were brought to the surface and fed into Lake Natron by Ol Doinyo Lengai, a million-year-old volcano immediately south of the lake. According to Hannes Mattsson, a researcher at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich, this volcano is favourite among petrologists because it’s the only one of its sort.
What this means is that:
Other volcanoes typically erupt silicates, but the Ol Doinyo Lengai is the only one on the earth to erupt “natrocarbonatites” or in short Natron in the form of chilly, flowing, dark washes. The Natron is a mix of sodium carbonate and baking soda.
Also Read: 5 Unique Features that Mountain of God possess – Ol Doinyo Lengai
It contains magmatic limestone that has been created deep inside the Earth, poured out in runny lava flows, and blasted into the air to form ash clouds 10 miles high. So, just to give you an idea, here’s a contrast. The Empire State Building has a height of 443 metres. This is the world’s fourth-largest structure. What about the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure? It is just 828 metres tall, or about half a mile. This is the height that the ash clouds from this volcano reach if 20 Burj Khalifas are stacked on top of each other.
So, does this salt give it a reddish hue?
The salts make it alkaline, but they don’t colour it.
This red colour is due to the presence of cyanobacteria. Salt-loving creatures thrive in water and create their own food through photosynthesis. The rich reds of the open water of the lake and the orange colours of the shallow areas of the lake are produced by the red pigment in the cyanobacteria.
Also Read: How to avoid drowning in the Dead Sea?
As a result, only bacteria and no other organisms can thrive in this environment. Right?
Although, most lifeforms find its waters to be caustic and inhospitable due to its high salt content, extreme alkalinity levels reaching as high as pH levels of 12, and scorching temperatures reaching up to 60 °C (140 °F).
This temperature has the potential to produce serious burns. If you put your hand into it, be careful. Water’s alkaline nature will undoubtedly draw water from your cells. You will become dehydrated as a result of it.
There are perhaps a few additional creatures that can survive in this hazardous environment.
A single species of fish known as the white-lipped fish can also be found in abundance.
Not to forget the stunning flamingos.
The flamingo population in Lake Natron is the highest in East Africa. These lakes are home to both the greater and lesser flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber and Phoeniconaias minor), with the smaller flamingo outnumbering the greater by a factor of 100. So, if there are one million smaller flamingos in the lake, there are ten thousand larger flamingos.
But why are the flamingos able to survive here when we people are unable to?
Flamingos’ legs have evolved leathery skin to allow them to survive salt water. They normally drink freshwater from local lakes, but if necessary, they have evolved to be able to filter saline water and digest the leftover water.
But why can’t humans drink the same water as the flamingoes?
If we drink this salty water, osmosis will occur, causing the cells to malfunction.
This is what will happen:
When the salt content on the outside of our cells is higher than on the inside, water travels from the inside to the outside to balance the equation. As a result, you will urinate more frequently. It will eventually cause you to get dehydrated. You will perish if you do not have access to freshwater fast.
Take a look at our video on What Happens If We Drink Sea Water.
So, I’m going to cover my mouth and swim in it. At the very least, I can swim in it, just like we do in the Dead Sea. Right?
Let’s pretend you’re swimming at Lake Natron. To begin with, swimming will be difficult due to the high salt concentration in the lake. Assume you are a powerful and strong individual, and you can begin to swim in it. However, the Lake’s scorching temperature will eventually produce third-degree burns and scarring. One thing to keep in mind is that even if you have only had a minor mosquito bite, the water will cause severe pain. Any untreated sores or unprotected regions will be in excruciating discomfort from the salt. So, if I were you, I’d cover my eyes, ears, mouth, and nose with anything.
When rain falls on lakes and rivers, the salt concentration drops as well. But why is the salt content of Lake Natron so high?
Lake Natron is essentially a terminal lake. They are, nevertheless, nourished by hot springs and little rivers. It does not, however, drain into any river or sea. The lake’s temperature remains high, resulting in increased evaporation. As a result, the salt content rises.
If you fall into Lake Natron, there are a few things you should know.
After coming into contact with the lake’s water, the animal or any human will not turn to stone and die instantly.
The calcified statues of numerous birds and other creatures are abundant in Lake Natron. The statues appear to be very lifelike and wonderful.
The lake’s unique chemical makeup coats the carcasses in layers of salt, sodium carbonates, and sodium bicarbonates, causing the animals to become petrified sculptures over time, a remarkable preservation phenomenon created by the lake’s chemical makeup. The corpses take on a chalky and stony appearance, similar to Egyptian mummies.
The water is salt-oversaturated, making it caustic enough to calcify the remains, erase ink from printed goods, and burn the skin and eyes of unadapted animals.
However, the area’s long-term climate impact has reduced these once-large freshwater lakes to their present-day saline remnants. The continuation of this process poses a long-term threat to their survival. There are currently a number of other mostly dry saline lake beds in the vicinity that once held water.
Because of its unusual biodiversity, the wondrous Lake Natron has been added to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, and the World Wildlife Fund has designated it as an important ecoregion.
Also Read: Lake Natron: The Dangerous, Beautiful and Dying Lake
Bonus question: Why do the flamingos dwell or breed in Lake Natron, and when do they do so?
Predators aren’t a problem at Lake Natron. Predators are unable to enter the river due to the alkaline composition of the water and the volcanic ash. As a result, flamingos can safely deposit their eggs.
One thing to keep in mind is that flamingos do not always lay their eggs. To nest, they require adequate water levels. If the water level rises too high, they may be attacked by predators who have been waiting for them. Because a high water level implies a low salt concentration, predators will have an easier time getting in. Birds will be unable to build nests if the water level is too low.
Sources:
- Lake That Turns Animals to Stone? Not Quite – LiveScience
- Eastern Africa: Northern Tanzania, on the border with Kenya – WWF
- The Deadly Lake Where 75 Percent of the World’s Lesser Flamingos Are Born – Smithsonian Magazine
- Lake Natron – NASA
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