Lake Natron: Wildlife & Landscape - Africa Photography

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Tanzania

Lake Natron
Lake Natron is a salt or alkaline lake located in north Ngorongoro District of Arusha Region in Tanzania.

It is in the Gregory Rift, which is the eastern branch of the East African Rift.

High levels of evaporation have left behind natron (sodium carbonate decahydrate) and trona (sodium sesquicarbonate dihydrate). The alkalinity of the lake can reach a pH of greater than 12.

The lake is the only regular breeding area in East Africa for the 2.5 million lesser flamingoes, whose status of "near threatened" results from their dependence on this one location.
Seventy-five percent of the world’s population are born on its shores.

The landscape is dominated by Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano which is just south of Lake Natron.
© Gabriel H. 2021
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