Why do animals turn to stone in this stunning African lake?

Time of India

15-05-2025

We all love to consume soft drinks, but at the same time we know that these drinks might not be a healthy addition for the body, but what if someone tells that there is a waterbody cradled between the volcanic highlands and the Great Rift Valley, that is as frightening as its beauty, and is made of salt and soda!
From a distance, it seems like a haven of stillness, its glassy waters reflecting the skies above, framed by rugged terrain and far from the bustle of human life.
But when observed too closely, it can be seen that this beauty hides a kind of natural alchemy that has puzzled and inspired many.
Apart from this, what has shocked the scientists is that it eerily preserves remains of animals that died near or in its waters that look no less than statues made of cement!
The lake that turns animals into stone!
Lake Natron
, located in northern
Tanzania
near the Kenyan border, is among the most chemically extreme lakes in the world. With its waters reaching a pH as high as 10.5 and temperatures soaring to 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius), this
alkaline lake
is an unforgiving environment for most forms of life.
The caustic nature of the lake is due to the sodium carbonate and minerals that wash in from the surrounding volcanic hills. These compounds, especially sodium carbonate, were once used by Egyptians in the mummification process in order to preserve them, and this has raised some of the most haunting images of the African wilderness.
Photographer says that the chemical contents are extremely high!
Photographer Nick Brandt documented this aspect of Lake Natron in his book Across the Ravaged Land.
While exploring the lake's shoreline, he came across the remains of various birds and bats encrusted in white mineral deposits. 'I unexpectedly found the creatures, all manner of birds and bats, washed up along the shoreline of Lake Natron,' Brandt wrote. 'No one knows for certain exactly how they die, but … the water has an extremely high soda and salt content, so high that it would strip the ink off my Kodak film boxes within a few seconds.
'
Brandt's photos got international recognition for their artistic value, 'I took these creatures as I found them on the shoreline, and then placed them in 'living' positions, bringing them back to 'life,' as it were,' he explained. 'Reanimated, alive again in death.'
Not all animals turn into stone!
However, not all animals simply turn to stone upon contact with the water. While deadly to those unadapted, Lake Natron sustains a surprisingly rich ecosystem.
It is the most important breeding site for the lesser flamingo in Africa. During the breeding season, over 2 million flamingos nest on the small, ephemeral islands formed during the dry season. The flamingos feed on the lake's bounty of cyanobacteria, which breed and live in the highly alkaline water.
Despite its ecological importance, Lake Natron remains under threat. The Ewaso Ngiro River, the main water source feeding the lake, is the proposed site for a hydroelectric power project. If realized, this development could drastically change the lake's hydrology and jeopardize the flamingo population and other wildlife.
Apart from that, the lake also needs environmental protection, though it remained virtually unknown to Europeans until 1954, today Lake Natron stands at the crossroads of environmental preservation and industrial expansion.