![]() ![]() What he could have added to this statement to avoid confusion is that since there aren’t many carnivorous creatures in the lake, over time the carcasses remain extremely well preserved. Brandt describes that “it appears that the extreme reflective nature of the lakes surface confuses them, and like birds crashing into plate glass windows they crash into the lake’. Nick Brandt produced some very beautiful and very sensationalized photographs that had many a website convinced you could head on down to Lake Natron, put an animal in and immediately take a statue out. Not quite the water body of death it was first made out to be… A number of plants and fish can survive in the salt marshes and wetlands around the edges of the lake. The pink colour (and the flamingos) comes from the red photosynthetic pigments in the numerous blue green algae in the lake (and flamingos diet). ![]() There are a number of animals that enjoy this as a habitat – unsurprisingly there are bacteria, algae, extremophile (extreme loving) fish alkaline tilapia, and North Africa’s unfortunately named Lesser Flamingo. Lake Natron photograph from paulconormckenzie Flickr ![]() As threatening as it may sound it still has some predators such as irrigation and logging of the surrounds, highways and soda ash plants that would extract sodium carbonate to produce washing powder. Combined with its hot temperatures (40 oC) and highly alkaline pH (9 – 10.5) you would not think it the most hospitable lake. Lake Natron (Figure 2) is a salt lake with particularly harsh composition derived from its very special neighbouring volcano, Oldoinyo Lengai, that donates lots of natrocarbonatities (carbonate dominated lavas which are enriched in sodium) to rainwater runoff. Stony Swallow, Lake Natron, 2012, taken by Nick Brandt The journey from Klein’s Gate (Serengeti) to Lake Natron takes 8 hours.Wondering what to do with your old birds and bats? The Natron Lake in northern Tanzania can turn your animals to stone with one quick dip! Figure 1. The road leads from Mto wa Mbu through numerous villages towards Lake Natron (approx. The lake is extremely remote and can only be reached after several hours’ drive from either Karatu/Lake Manyara or North Serengeti. It is suggested that the extremely hot mud and highly alkaline water protects the bird’s nests from predators. Lake Natron is East Africa’s only known breeding ground for the Lesser Flamingo. Flamingo and pelican are the region’s star attraction. Animal concentrations are not particularly high, but visitors are more than likely to come across zebra and giraffe. Normally, many animals migrate to Lake Natron in search of water during the rainy season, particularly in July from the hotter Lake Manyara and Tarangire regions. Other animals that inhabit this area are zebra, ostrich, fringed eared oryx, gazelle, gerenuk, lesser kudu, and golden jackal. Because the flamingos use this area for breeding the lake and its surrounding is under the International concern for preservation. The flamingos feed with the lakes Spirulina algae. They build their nests using the soda flats between August and October. In the slightly less salty water around its margins, some fish can also survive.įor wildlife in Lake Natron is so rare but the Lake is a breeding place for thousands of Rift Valley Flamingos. Nonetheless, Lake Natron is home to some endemic algae, invertebrates, and birds. Wildlife in Lake Natron since most animals find the lake’s high temperature (up to 60 ☌ ) and its high and variable salt content inhospitable. Ruaha National Park | Enclose Africa Safaris. ![]()
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