Besides losing a bird habitat, the world would also lose a beautiful and salty natural wonder if too much water is diverted south to Natron. If the salinity of the lake decreases, the cyanobacteria will also decrease and cause a loss of habitat for the endangered flamingos. It is surrounded by escarpments and volcanic mountains, one of which is active. In fact, bringing in fresh water would greatly upset the ecological balance of the lake and many in Tanzania have actively fought against bringing in water from the Ewaso Ng’iro River. Lake Natron is a soda lake in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. Amazingly, 2.5 million flamingos make Lake Natron their home and it is considered one of their only breeding grounds, making preservation of the lake an environmental concern. This algae growth has also fostered the developments of Lesser Flamingo nests. Water is supposed to give life, yet this salty world seems content to make life almost impossible… almost.Īlthough most species cannot handle the 120-degree lake water, cyanobacteria have made Natron their home and turned the lake its trademark reds and oranges. The saline environment of Lake Natron certainly qualifies. Although most human settlements throughout history have formed around lakes and rivers, the barren landscape around Lake Natron tells a clear story of a place no one ever wanted to live.Īfrica’s Great Rift Valley is known for some of its environmentally extreme regions such as the Erta Ale and Dallol. This body of water is one of the most inhospitable areas on Earth.Ĭolored a deep red from salt-loving organisms and algae, the lake reaches hellish temperatures and is nearly as basic as ammonia. Yet, if there is any hope that those projects would not happen, we at Our Breathing Planet are indeed hopeful.Don’t let the ring of salty marshes along the edge of Lake Natron fool you. However, he possibility of the Lesser Flamingo species adapting to the change in the lake is virtually non-existent. This plant would extract the sodium carbonate from the waters of the lake which is one of the minerals which forms the base of the unique waters present in the lake.
In addition, a soda ash plant may also appear on the shore of the lake.
Both of these projects would severely affect the delicate environmental balance of Lake Natron. A hydroelectric plant on the Ewaso River is under consideration. Unfortunately, projected logging activities also threaten to disrupt the delicate salinity balance. The species adapted to its unique environment cannot survive elsewhere. a salt or soda lake in Arusha Region in Tanzania. This category contains material about Lake Natron, mount Gelai and mount Lengai in Northern Tanzania. Lake Natron forms a rather geologically unique and important habitat. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. CC License: Lake Natron Threats and Preservation Efforts
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