This is why Lake Natron is known as a dangerous lake. Also, some birds mistake the lake surface for a reflective mirror and dive in by mistake, the alkaline chemical composition of lake water, which is close to ammonia (and gives the lake its pink color), may cause birds that dive into the lake water and do not come out to become calcified and covered with a solid stone crust. This is fantastic since it occasionally turns red in some areas! Aside from becoming red on occasion, Lake Natron is also remarkable in that water is extremely caustic (alkaline) due to the surrounding volcano. The lake is unlike any other you’ve ever seen or heard about. Lake Natron is regarded as Tanzania’s beautiful but deadly lake. Food is plentiful, nesting sites abound, and the lake is remote and unspoiled.

More than, 2 million Flamingos live in East Africa, accounting for three-quarters of the global population, with the majority of them hatching at Lake Natron. It is the world’s most important breeding place for Lesser Flamingos. The lake provides a harsh and difficult living environment for many organisms. Alkali salt crust on the lake’s surface is colored red or pink by salt-loving bacteria that live there. The deep red colors of the lake’s waters and the orange colors in the shallow areas are produced by the red pigment in those cyanobacteria. Some cyanobacteria are halophilic organisms that, like plants, produce their own food through photosynthesis. In this environment, special bacteria and blue algae thrive, creating an ideal breeding ground for bird life. The lake’s alkalinity can reach a pH level of more than 12. Water containing high concentrations of salt minerals such as sodium and trona remains in the lake as freshwater evaporates. The lake’s temperatures frequently exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The region experiences erratic seasonal rainfall, primarily between December and May. The lake is 57 kilometers long and 22 kilometers wide. Lake Natron is quite shallow, measuring less than three meters deep and varying in width depending on the water level. The lake is located at the base of mount Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano. It is situated in the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African Rift. Lake Natron is located in Northern Tanzania, like other soda lakes, Lake Natron has high levels of various salts and it is very high in alkalinity.

Natron lake deadly