The lake’s high temperature and intense salt content tends to repel most animals, however it is home to some invertebrates and birds. This is often red or pink in colour itself due to the same microorganisms found in the water. It is the cyanobacteria in these organisms that produces the colouration within the lake.ĭue to the high level of evaporation leaving behind certain minerals plus the composition of the surrounding bedrock, Lake Natron has concentrated into a caustic alkaline brine that tends to leave a salt crust on the surface. This is a characteristic of lakes with a very high evaporation rate, as salinity levels increase to the point where salt-loving microorganisms thrive.

The most striking feature of Lake Natron however is the deep red colour of the open water mixed with the often orange hue of the shallower parts. Despite its vast size, it is only the sixth largest lake in Tanzania. Located in the Arusha Region of Tanzania, sitting below the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano within the Gregory Rift, Lake Natron is a beautiful yet sinister wonder of nature.įed by the Southern Ewaso Ng’iro River plus a number of mineral-rich hot springs, the entire lake is less than three metres deep and, at its fullest, is approximately 35 miles long by 14 miles wide.

Lake natron tanzania calcified animals