Witnessing the mass of bright pink birds moving about on the water is an unforgettable image. The park was set up to protect the massive flocks of Flamingos which come here to feed on the cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and plankton. This beautiful park is 160km (about 100 miles) north of Nairobi and easily accessible by road on a day excursion. The views are breathtaking as the land seems to drop away from you into the valley. Just north of Nairobi the valley is at its lowest with an amazing selection of deep freshwater lakes, soda lakes and volcanic formations. The valley is a geological feature which cuts through Africa from the Middle East down as far as Mozambique with a number of associated fault lines and features extending westwards into south central Africa.
LAKE NATRON ANIMALS IN COLOUR SKIN
In the case of Lake Natron, the waters are boiling hot and caustic, which is sure to peel the skin off most creatures and many animals wouldn't dare enter. It is a wonder that these lakes support any life at all because of the very high salt content, but it's the ideal environment for Flamingos and a surprising range of species. Incredible numbers of Flamingos favour the alkaline waters of Lake Nakuru in Kenya and Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania. Lake Nakuru and Lake Natron are members of an exclusive group of soda lakes in East Africa. Usually Lake Natron will be visited after Lake Manyara National Park.It's a wondrous sight - at least a million Flamingos gathered together to create the surging �pink seas' of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Natron is also well connected other National parks, such as: Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the south and the Northern Serengeti National Park in the west. Tens of thousands of other birds can be spotted near the lake, making Lake Natron a prime destination for bird lovers in Africa. Lake Natron is also home to some endemic algae, invertebrates and other birds. Some fish species (such as tilapia) can survive in the slightly less salty water near the shore. Larger flamingos also breed in the Wadden Sea. Cyanobacteria are increasing with the salinity of the water, and the lake can carry more nests. Every year, more than two million flamingos come here to lay their eggs and chicks hatch between September and April. It therefore provides a good barrier against predators trying to reach nests on seasonal evaporation islands. Lake Natron, the perfect breeding place for Flamingosįlamingos find a safe breeding ground at Lake Natron, since most other animals find its caustic environment and high temperature of the lake (up to 60☌) as well as its high salinity inhospitable.
Salt-loving microorganisms living there are coloring the alkali salt crust on the surface of the lake is red or pink. The red pigment in those cyano bacteria produces the deep red colors of the lake’s waters and the orange colors in the shallow areas.
Such halophilic organisms include some cyano bacteria that, like plants, produce their own food through photosynthesis. Special bacteria and blue algae thrive in this environment and form an ideal breeding ground for the life of birds. The alkalinity of the lake can reach a pH level of more than 12. The temperatures at the lake are often over 40 ° C.Īs the fresh water evaporates in the lake, water with high concentrations of salt minerals such as sodium and trona remains. The area receives irregular seasonal rainfall, mainly between December and May. The lake is 57 kilometers long and 22 kilometers wide. Lake Natron is quite shallow, less than three meters deep, and varies in width depending on its water level. The lake lays at the foot of the Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano. It is located in the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African Rift. Lake Natron is a salt or soda lake not far from Lake Manyara in northern Tanzania.
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