Lake Natron

Lake Natron is a salt or soda lake not far from Lake Manyara in northern Tanzania. It is located in the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African Rift. The lake lies at the foot of the Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano.

Lake Natron is quite shallow, less than three meters deep, and varies in width depending on its water level. The lake is 57 kilometres long and 22 kilometres wide. The area receives irregular seasonal rainfall, mainly between December and May. The temperatures at the lake are often over 40 ° C.

As the freshwater evaporates in the lake, water with high concentrations of salt minerals such as sodium and trona remains. The alkalinity of the lake can reach a pH level of more than 12. Special bacteria and blue algae thrive in this environment and form an ideal breeding ground for the life of birds. Such halophilic organisms include some cyanobacteria that, like plants, produce their own food through photosynthesis. The red pigment in those cyanobacteria produces the deep red colours of the lake’s waters and the orange colours in the shallow areas. Salt-loving microorganisms living there are colouring the alkali salt crust on the surface of the lake red or pink.