Pink lake Retba in Senegal (West Africa): photo, video. pink lake

pink lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina (Dunaliella salina), which is a type of halophile (halophile) green microalgae living in a particularly salty sea water. Thanks to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular among tourists and photographers from all over the world. We invite you to little trip on the pink lakes of our planet:

1 Lake Hillier, Australia

Lake Hillier is a lake located on Middle Island - the most large island of all the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in Western Australia. The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature.

The peculiarity of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change if water is poured into a container. The length of the lake is about 600 meters. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation.

The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. In the north sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean. Middle Island and the lake were discovered in 1812.

2. Lake Retba, Senegal

Lake Retba or Pink Lake is located to the east of the peninsula Cape Verde(Cap Vert) in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. It got its name because of the color of the water in which Dunaliella salina algae grow.

The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, makes it easy for people to float.

Aerial photography of salt accumulations along the shoreline of Lake Retba

There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many workers who collect salt work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%.

To protect their skin, they rub "Beurre de Karité" (Shea butter, obtained from shea nuts harvested from the shea tree) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage.

3. salt lake Torrevieja, Spain

Aerial view of the Torrevieja Salt Lake from the Mediterranean Sea

Torrevieja Salt Lake and La Mata Salt Lake are salt lakes surrounding Torrevieja, a seaside town in southeastern Spain. The microclimate created by the largest salt lakes in Europe - Torrevieja and La Mata, is declared one of the healthiest in Europe, according to - World Organization healthcare.

The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will bring great benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs.

At the other end of the lake, salt is being mined and exported to different countries. Near the lake you can see a huge number of bird species.

4. Hutt Lagoon, Australia

Hutt Lagoon is depicted on the left side, and Indian Ocean- on the right

Hutt Lagoon is salt Lake, elongated, located near the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River, in the middle west of Western Australia. It is located in the dunes adjacent to the coast.

The city of Gregory is located between the ocean and the southern shores of the lake. The road between Northampton and Kalbarri, called George Gray Drive, runs along western edge lakes.

The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.

Hutt Lagoon is a salty pink lake that has a red or pink hue due to the presence of Dunaliella saline in the water. Algae of this species produce carotenoids, which are a source of beta-carotene, food coloring and a source of vitamin A.

This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. total area small artificial ponds, in which Dunaliella salina is bred, is 250 hectares.

5. Dusty Rose Lake, Canada

This pink lake is located in British Columbia, Canada, is rather unusual, little known and possibly unique. The water in this lake is not at all salty, and does not contain algae, but it still has a pink color. The photo shows pink water flowing into the lake. The color of the water is due to the unique combination of rocks in the area (stone dust from the glacier).

6. Pink Lake, Australia

Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region, western australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by a motorway. south coast(South Coast Highway).

The lake is not always pink, but the distinctive color of the water when the lake takes on a pink hue is the result of the green algae Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brine shrimp. The lake has been noted as an important habitat for birds, international organization to protect birds and preserve their habitats.

7. Lake Masazir, Azerbaijan

Masazir Lake is a salt lake in the Karadag region near Baku, Azerbaijan. The total area of the lake is 10 square kilometers. The ionic composition of water contains large amounts of chloride and sulfate.

Workers load salt into horse-drawn carts

In 2010, a plant for the production of 2 foreign ministries of Azeri salt was opened here. The approximate reserve of salt that can be extracted is 1735 million tons. It can be mined both in liquid state (from water) and in solid state.

8. Pink Lake Quairading, Australia

Pink Lake Kwairading is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Kwairading (Western Australia). The Bruce Rock Highway passes through it.

Local population counts Pink Lake natural wonder. At some times, one side of the lake turns deep pink while the other side remains pale pink.

Bonus: Pink Lake Field, Australia

This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes is located somewhere between the city of Esperance and Caiguna.

There are hundreds of small pink lakes on the field, and each of them has its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all the others.

The ancient lands of the Black Continent contain a lot of natural wonders, one of which is a fantastic lake, located near the Green Cape. This is Retba - the most interesting landmark of Senegal and one of the most colorful places on the planet.

colorful in literally this word! The waters of the Pink Lake, as Retba sounds in the dialect of the Wolof ethnic group, shimmer under the sultry African sun with a whole palette of pink colors - from soft crimson to carmine-scarlet. Particularly bizarre is the view of the reservoir from a bird's eye view - a strawberry spot framed by the emerald greenery of the jungle - a truly bewitching landscape!

Pink Lake - a bright point on the map of Africa

An amazing reservoir is located in the Western part of the African continent, just thirty kilometers from the main city of Senegal - Dakar. A narrow strip of sand dunes separates Pink Lake from the mighty waters of the Atlantic. The two-kilometer coastline of Retba is a truly picturesque canvas: a string of small boats on the purple surface of the water, the finest golden sand and snow-white mounds of salt pyramids. The French-speaking population of the country gave the lake another name - Lac Ros.

History of the Magic Lake

It may surprise you, but Retba was not always a lake. The reservoir was once part of Atlantic Ocean, a cozy lagoon separated from big water narrow channel. Ocean surf and wind washed up the sand for centuries until the channel completely disappeared, forming a salt lake with an area of \u200b\u200bno more than three square kilometers.

Why is it this color? Until the 70s of the last century, Retba did not stand out among ordinary salt lakes. But the worst drought in the history of Senegal caused the lake to become shallow, opening access to the deepest salt deposits at the bottom of the reservoir. In those years, an extraordinary rainbow phenomenon appeared.

The Rose Water Mystery

How can we explain the extraordinary shade of Lac-Rose? Everything is very simple, there is nothing mystical and supernatural.

The amazing purple color of the water is due to myriads of microscopic organisms - cyanobacteria of the genus Dunaliellasalina, which have chosen Retba as their habitat.

It is the pigmentation of these ancient living creatures that tints the lake with the delightful color of flamingos and dawn. Also, the abundance of fossil deposits of minerals and chlorine on the coast affects the coral shade of water. The color shade of the lake is very heterogeneous and can vary depending on various factors: the angle of incidence of sunlight on the lake surface, cloudiness and dry weather. The brightest and richest pink color is typical for the drought season in Senegal - from May to November.

One of the saltiest bodies of water in the world

Dunaliellasalina is the only form of organic life that can exist in the concentrated brine of Lake Retba. The salt content in Lac Ros is more than 380 grams per liter, which is one and a half times higher than the specifications Dead Sea. The increased density of water facilitates swimming and prevents drowning, however, staying in rose waters for more than ten minutes is fraught with severe burns and non-healing ulcers on the surface of the skin.

Labor-intensive salt extraction

The richest salt deposits are the main source of income for the local population. On the shores of Pink Lake, there is a small village of the Wolof people, whose inhabitants are completely engaged in the extraction of salt. This is a very difficult job - male miners manually, standing shoulder-deep in water, scoop salt crystals from the lake bottom. In order to protect themselves from the corrosive solution, the skin is treated with shea butter. At the bottom of the lake, workers first loosen the salt blindly, and then fill bulky baskets with the powder and send it to the shore in boats.

Due to the high density of water, small punt boats are able to hold up to half a ton of cargo, which significantly saves time on transportation. On the shore, women and girls are involved in the work process - the collected salt is dragged ashore, washed from dirt and silt and left to dry. In the future, salt from the bottom of Lac Ros goes to dealers and is used mainly for preserving seafood, and in some restaurants in Europe it is served as an exotic product.

Not only local residents are employed in salt mining, men from neighboring countries continent. The modest pay of $9 for a hard day's work is considered acceptable in Africa. These “guest workers” build their temporary dwellings from improvised material right on the banks of the Retba. Every year, up to 25 thousand tons of salt are taken out from the bottom of the pink lake, which leads to a rapid deepening of the reservoir - earlier the water in Lac Ross reached only the waist, and it was possible to walk along it.

Interesting information for travelers

Every year, thousands of tourists come to the pink waters of the Retba, who want to see and capture the extraordinary miracle of nature with their own eyes. For those who are just about to discover Senegal and its notable places, some of the nuances of traveling around the lake will be useful:

Pink Lake is located just an hour from Dakar. It is best to go to get acquainted with the beauties of Retba as part of an organized excursion route. But you can also get to the place on your own by minibus, or by renting a car. For those wishing to admire the fabulous landscape at sunrise or sunset, there is a chain of small hotels nearby.
From entertainment - romantic boat rides on the pink surface of the lake, car rides along the picturesque coastline. For a small fee, tourists can get acquainted with all the intricacies of salt mining and try themselves in this difficult business. locals happy to take on fishing all comers.
During the day, the lake repeatedly changes its shade - from elusive pink and rich purple to brownish cherry with orange notes in color, so it is best to admire the magical landscape several times during the day.
Along the coast of Lac Rose, not so long ago, the final stage of the famous Paris-Dakar race took place.
Not far from the pink lake there is an interesting turtle reserve.

Lake Retba - fantastic natural object, which you must visit when traveling through the expanses of hot Africa. The bewitching beauty of the pink surface in the light of day and in the first rays of the awakening sun will not leave indifferent connoisseurs of beauty. Tell us about your impressions of this delightful corner.

A pink lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments)

A pink lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina, which is a type of halophile green microalgae that lives in particularly salty sea water. Thanks to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular among tourists and photographers from all over the world.

1 Lake Hillier, Australia

This reservoir is located on the edge of the Middle Island (Middle Island), which is part of the Research archipelago, stretching for tens of kilometers along south coast Western Australia. The peculiarity of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change if water is poured into a container. The length of the lake is about 600 meters. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation.

For the first time people discovered an unusual lake in 1802. Then the British navigator Matthew Flinders decided to stop on the island on his way to Sydney. What was the surprise of the traveler when, among the dense forests of the island, he stumbled upon pink pond. The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. To the north, sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean.

The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature.

2. Retba, Senegal

Lake Retba or Pink Lake is located east of the Cape Vert peninsula in Senegal, northeast of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. It got its name because of the color of the water in which Dunaliella salina algae grow.

The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, makes it easy for people to float.

There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many workers who collect salt work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%. To protect their skin, they rub "Beurre de Karité" (shea butter) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage. What today is called Lake Retba was once a lagoon. But the Atlantic surf gradually washed up the sand, and in the end the channel that connected the lagoon with the ocean turned out to be covered up. For a long time, Retba remained an unremarkable salt lake.

But in the 70s of the last century, a series of droughts hit Senegal, Retba became very shallow and the extraction of salt, which lay in a thick layer at the bottom, became quite profitable. At the same time, the water in the lake acquired a pink hue due to microorganisms that can exist in a saturated saline solution.

Amazingly colored water and charming boats completely cover a two-kilometer coastline Pink Lake, or Lake Retba, as it is called in the language of the Wolof people, the largest ethnic group in Senegal.

Besides them, there is no other organic life in Retba - for algae, not to mention fish, such a salt concentration is detrimental. It is here almost one and a half times higher than in the Dead Sea - three hundred and eighty grams per liter!

3. Salt Lake Torrevieja (Alina de Torrevieja), Spain

Alina de Torrevieja and La Salina de La Mata are the largest salt lakes in Europe. A special type of algae grows in the water, which gives the water a pink hue. The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will bring great benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs. At the other end of the lake, salt is being mined, which is exported to different countries. Near the lake you can see a huge number of bird species.

4. Hutt Lagoon, Australia

Hutt Lagoon is depicted on the left side, and the Indian Ocean is on the right.

Hutt Lagoon is an elongated salt lake located off the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River in midwestern Western Australia. It is located in the dunes adjacent to the coast.

Hutt Lagoon was once the mouth of the 60 km (37 miles) Hutt River, but at some point in the prehistoric past, the river changed its course and the mouth remained isolated from both the river and the sea.

The city of Gregory is located between the ocean and the southern shores of the lake. The road between Northampton (Northampton) and Kalbari (Kalbarri), called George Gray Drive (George Gray Drive), runs along the western edge of the lake.

The lake acquired this color due to the abundance of the same algae that produce beta-carotene.

This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. The total area of small artificial ponds in which Dunaliella saline is bred is 250 hectares. The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.

5. Lake Masazirgol, Azerbaijan

Masazir Lake is a salt lake in the Karadag region near Baku, Azerbaijan. The total area of the lake is 10 square kilometers. The ionic composition of water contains large amounts of chloride and sulfate.

In 2010, a plant for the production of 2 types of Azeri salt was opened here. The approximate reserve of salt that can be extracted is 1735 million tons. It can be mined both in liquid state (from water) and in solid state.

Due to the high content of sulfate, the water in the lake is pink.

6. Dusty Rose Lake, Canada

This pink lake, located in British Columbia, Canada, is quite unusual, little known, and possibly unique. The water in this lake is not at all salty, and does not contain algae, but it still has a pink color. The photo shows pink water flowing into the lake. The color of the water is due to the unique combination of rocks in the area (stone dust from the glacier).

7. Pink Lake Quairading (Quairading), Australia

Pink Lake Kwairading is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Kwairading (Western Australia). The Bruce Rock Highway passes through it. The local population considers Pink Lake a natural wonder. At some times, one side of the lake turns deep pink while the other side remains pale pink.

8. Pink Lake, Australia

Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by the South Coast Highway. The lake is not always pink, but the distinctive color of the water when the lake takes on a pink hue is the result of the green algae Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brine shrimp. The lake has been designated an Important Bird Habitat by the International Bird Protection and Habitat Conservation Organization.

9. And Another Natural Wonder: Pink Lake Field, Australia

This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes is located somewhere between the city of Esperance and Caiguna. There are hundreds of small pink lakes on the field, and each of them has its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all the others.

When you imagine a lake, then, for sure, images of the water surface of blue or bluish-green color pop up in your imagination. But, in reality, nature has created a much more diverse palette of shades in which reservoirs can be painted. Turquoise, emerald, brown, yellow and even red and pink lakes exist on earth. In which regions of the world are pink and red lakes? Why is their color so unusual? As it turned out, scientists have long known the answer to these questions.

There are a considerable number of bodies of water in the world that have a striking pink or red color. Moreover, this phenomenon is not associated with any unusual chemical composition of water or its industrial pollution. The pink lake phenomenon is due to the natural reactions that occur in salt water with certain bacteria and algae under the influence of intense sunlight. Pink-orange color you will never meet in fresh water - only salt lakes and the coastal waters of some seas are able to change their natural azure color to an unearthly lilac or reddish hue.

What causes the transformation of the natural color of water into pink, coral or scarlet tone? The extremely high concentration of salt in the water (more than 20%) creates ideal conditions for the existence of three types of microorganisms called gallophiles - literally, salt lovers who survive only in the salt lake ecosystem, endowing its water with shades of red:

Algae Dunaliella salina
Bacteria Salinobacter ruber
The simplest archaea (Archaea)

Algae and microorganisms of these species can develop in the most extreme conditions - a significant content of alkalis and even ammonia, critically high temperatures - an excellent environment for their growth. Great content salt and exposure to active sunlight provoke micro-algae Dunaliella to produce protective compounds - carotenoids or beta-carotene, which has a red-coral color. This pigment blocks solar radiation and allows microorganisms to survive. The bright pink or reddish-orange color of water containing Dunaliella can be enhanced by the parallel presence of Archaea protozoa and Salinobacter ruber bacteria.

Few animals have chosen salt lakes as their habitat. But those who live on their shores have the same unusual appearance as the surreal lakes themselves. The main inhabitants of these reservoirs are pink flamingos, whose plumage color is formed only because they feed on carotene-containing algae and plankton of the red shrimp - brine shrimp. Flamingo James, Andean, Chilean flamingos and other species of these birds build clay hills in the form of a truncated cone about 50 cm high in the shallow water of salt lakes, which serve as their nests.

Lake Hillier

pink lake Hillier, located off the coast of southwestern Australia on the Recherche Archipelago's Middle Island, is considered somewhat mysterious due to the fact that microorganisms that lead to the formation of a pink hue of water are not found in it. Therefore, the constant color of the reservoir - strawberries whipped with cream - is unsolved riddle nature. Although the lake is small - its length is 600 meters and its width is 250 meters, it is considered the most beautiful of the pink lakes in Australia and around the world. About a kilometer of sand dunes separating Lake Hillier from the Indian Ocean, but the reefs surrounding the island leave only one way to reach the lake - by air.

Lake Hutt Lagoon (Hutt Lagoon)

During the dry season, Hutt Lake is completely crusted over. pink salt, and during the monsoon period, not only rain, but also sea water, as it is very close to the coast and below sea level. The length of the lagoon is 14 km, the width is 2 km, and 250 hectares of the reservoir area is occupied by the world's largest plant for processing Dunaliella salina algae for the production of food additives, dyes, other food components and cosmetics.

Pink Lake

Pink Lake is located in the Goldfields-Esperance region in Western Australia and covers an area of 4 by 2 kilometers. The pink color of the lake is not permanent, but appears during the flowering of the green algae Dunaliella Salina during a drought and, in part, due to the presence of the bacteria Halobacteria cutirubrum. Due to the existence of a large population pink flamingos in the Pink Lake range, the reservoir is recognized as an Important Bird Area of the world.

Lake Quarading (Quairading Pink Lake)

Absolutely round in shape, Quairading salt lake is famous for the fact that it is interrupted by an earthen road that divides the reservoir into two parts. One half of the lake has a natural color, while the other half is dark burgundy, the color saturation of which varies depending on the season.

Lake Macleod

North of the small coastal town of Carnarvon, in western Australia, there is another of the five known pink lakes on the green mainland - McLeod. The area of the reservoir is 1500 km2, maximum depth 1.5 meters. About 400 km2 in the northwestern part of the lake is a habitat for many birds, recognized as an ornithological and nature reserve, known for its . The southern tip of MacLeod is heavily exploited for salt and gypsum mining.

Lake Eyre

Most famous lake in Australia - drying salty Lake Eyre. It cannot be unequivocally attributed to pink lakes, but carotenoids, present in Eyre's water, cause a purple color to appear regularly on its surface. The lake is 144 km long and 77 km wide.

Salt lake fields

A pink or red lake is a lake that has a reddish or pink color due to the presence of algae that produce carotenoids (organic pigments). These include algae such as Dunaliella salina, which is a type of halophile green microalgae that lives in particularly salty sea water. Thanks to their pink color, these lakes are becoming more and more popular among tourists and photographers from all over the world.

Lake Hillier (Hillier), Australia

Coordinates: 34°05′45″ S sh. 123°12′10″ E d.

Lake Hillier is a lake located on Middle Island, the largest of all the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in Western Australia. The lake is very popular and tourists tend to get there, even passengers of planes flying over the lake take pictures of this miracle of nature.

The peculiarity of the lake is its bright pink color. The color of the water is constant and does not change if water is poured into a container. The length of the lake is about 600 meters. It is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, consisting of sand dunes covered with vegetation.

The lake is surrounded by white salt deposits and dense forests of tea and eucalyptus trees. To the north, sand dunes separate the lake from the Southern Ocean. Middle Island and the lake were discovered in 1812.

Hutt Lagoon, Australia

Coordinates: 28° 9"17.29"S sh. 114°14"23.99"E d.

Hutt Lagoon is depicted on the left side, and the Indian Ocean is depicted on the right.

Hutt Lagoon is an elongated salt lake located off the coast north of the mouth of the Hutt River in the midwest of Western Australia. It is located in the dunes adjacent to the coast.

The lake is 14 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.

This lagoon is home to the world's largest microalgae farm. The total area of small artificial ponds in which Dunaliella saline is bred is 250 hectares.

Lake Quairading, Australia

Coordinates: 31°58"22.37"S sh. 117°30"18.92"E d.

Pink Lake Quarading is located 11 kilometers east of the city of Quairading (Western Australia). The Bruce Rock Highway passes through it.

The local population considers Pink Lake a natural wonder. At some times, one side of the lake turns deep pink while the other side remains pale pink.

Pink Lake Field, Australia

Coordinates: 33°51"1.01"S sh. 123°35"34.06" E d.

This unusual landscape was captured from an airplane in western Australia. This field of pink lakes is located somewhere between the city of Esperance and Caiguna.

There are hundreds of small pink lakes on the field, and each of them has its own unique shade of pink. This is due to the fact that the concentration of algae and salt in each lake is different from all the others.

Pink Lake, Australia

Coordinates: 33°50"43"S 121° 49"40" E

Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It is located about 3 kilometers west of Esperanza and is connected to the east by the South Coast Highway.

The lake is not always pink, but the distinctive color of the water when the lake takes on a pink hue is the result of the green algae Dunaliella brackish, as well as a high concentration of brine shrimp. The lake has been noted as an important bird habitat by the international organization for the protection of birds and the conservation of their habitat.

Lake Masazir, Azerbaijan

Coordinates: 40°30"29"N 49°46"21"E

Workers load salt into horse-drawn carts

Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

Coordinates: 22°11′55″ S sh. 67°46′52″ W d.

Laguna Colorado is a mineral lake located in national reserve Eduardo Avaroa in southwestern Bolivia near the border with Chile.

The red-brown color of the water is due to sedimentary rocks, as well as the pigmentation of some algae growing there. Also in the lake you can find islands of borax.

Lives in the lagoon a large number of Flamingo James. Also here you can meet the Andean and Chilean flamingos, but in small quantities.

Lake Torrevieja, Spain

Coordinates: 38° 0"14.32" s. sh. 0°44"10.74"W d.

Aerial view of the Torrevieja Salt Lake from the Mediterranean Sea

The pink color of Lake Torrevieja, caused by the presence of algae and salt, gives it a "science fiction" look. Just like in the Dead Sea in Israel, here you can also just lie on the surface of the water. In addition, it will bring great benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the skin and lungs.

At the other end of the lake, salt is being mined, which is exported to different countries. Near the lake you can see a huge number of bird species.

Pond in an old mine, Cyprus, Italy

Coordinates: 35° 2"10.01"N 33° 6"57.53"E

Not far from the Cypriot village of Mitsero there is a lake, the water in which is colored blood red. At first glance, it seems that instead of water, it really has blood.

In fact, the lake is not a lake at all, but a depleted iron ore quarry. It is the rich presence of iron that explains the rich red color of the water.

Dusty Rose Lake, Canada

Coordinates: 52°33"38"N 126°20"31"W

crimson lake, Altai region, Russia

Coordinates: 51°40′31″ s. sh. 79°46′57″ E d.

Raspberry Lake in the Mikhailovsky district stands out with crimson water.

A distinct pink-crimson hue to the water gives a special appearance to small planktonic crustaceans living in the lake.

Especially bright crimson color near the lake in spring, although in other seasons it is noticeable.

Lake Retba, Senegal

Coordinates: 14°50′20″ s. sh. 17°14′04″ W d.

The color is especially noticeable during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like the Dead Sea, makes it easy for people to float.

Aerial photography of salt accumulations along the shoreline of Lake Retba

There is a small salt mining business on the lake. Many workers who collect salt work 6-7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content of about 40%.

To protect their skin, they rub "Beurre de Karité" (Shea butter, obtained from shea nuts harvested from the shea tree) into it, which softens the skin and prevents tissue damage.

Colored salt ponds in San Francisco, USA

Coordinates: 37°30"23.56"N 122° 1"40.79"W

San Francisco is famous for its colored ponds, flying over which delivers an indelible impression of what you see.

The reason for such beauty is banal - simple salt. These reservoirs are created for the extraction of salt.

The algae growing in them are the cause of these color effects. The palette of colors depends on the height of the salt level, more saturated shades are obtained with an increased salt level.

Besides weather also able to make adjustments to a variety of colors. For example, the wind stirring the algae changes the color scheme, the rain, coupled with the wind, sometimes even lightens the water to its normal state.

Lake Natron, Tanzania

Coordinates: 2°25′ S sh. 36°00′ E d.

Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, on the border with Kenya.

The lake has a depth of no more than three meters, and changes the coastline depending on the season and water level. The water temperature in the wetlands can reach 50 degrees Celsius, and depending on the water level, the alkalinity can reach a pH of 9 to 10.5.

Lake Natron is covered with a crust of salt that periodically turns red and pink. This is the result of the vital activity of microorganisms that live in the lake. The lake is home to millions of flamingos.

Lake Chott El Jerid, Tunisia

Coordinates: 33°42′ s. sh. 8°26′ E d.

Chott el-Jerid is a lake in the central part of Tunisia and a saline depression located in a series of depressions stretching deep into the Sahara from the Gulf of Gabes.

During the winter rains, Chott el Jerid turns salty drainless lake with an area of 5-7 thousand km². In summer, when there is no precipitation, and the temperature often reaches +50 °C, the lake almost completely dries up, mirages are often observed.

The vegetation is sparse, with a predominance of halophytes; thickets of tamarisk and gorse are found near the waters. Along the edges of the depression there are outlets of artesian waters, around which there are oases, in which the date palm has been cultivated since ancient times.

In the 1970s, an asphalt road was laid through the depression along the crest of the constructed dam.

Lake Koyashskoe, Crimea, Ukraine

Coordinates: 45°2"54"N 36°11"4"E

Koyashskoye Lake changes its color several times a year. This is due to bacteria that become reddish in color during the hot season.

From above, during the dry period, the lake is covered with a thin layer of salt crystals. The silt deposits of the lake are therapeutic mud.

It is impossible to drown in Koyashsky Lake, since its depth does not exceed 1 meter. But you won’t be able to swim there either - the mud is very viscous.

Lake at the Sanetsch pass in Switzerland

The water surface is periodically covered with algae, which give an atypical color to the water.

Blood Pond (Chinoike Jigoku), Japan

Coordinates: 33°19"37.93"N 131°28"40.75"E

Blood Pond (Chinoike Jigoku) is one of the most famous springs hot water- geysers, which is located on Japanese island Kyushu near the city of Beppu.

It got its name due to the fact that its water contains a large amount of iron oxide.

The color of the pond has a red tint, which is very reminiscent of blood to tourists, and that is why the hot water geyser was nicknamed "bloody". Geysers throw out more than 50,000 cubic meters of water per day, and over the lake you can observe vapor emissions from active volcanoes, which are located on the banks of the bloody pond.

WITH bloody pond many legends are associated, and in Japanese, its name means "Hell". One of these legends says that sinners were boiled in its waters. This is partly true - you can easily cook here, because the water temperature is about 100 degrees.