A lake that turns animals into stone sounds less like geography and more like the opening scene of a fantasy film. Maybe one where these animals unexpectedly met the bulbous eyes of a very large basilisk. Or not.
This "petrifying" claim is usually associated with Lake Natron in northern Tanzania, where haunting photographs show birds and bats frozen in eerie, statue-like poses.
Is it true that animals can turn to stone because of this lake?
Verdict:
FALSE
Lake Natron does not turn living animals to stone.
Well, not technically, at least.
The lake's highly alkaline, salty water can preserve and coat the remains of animals that die in or around it, making them appear stone-like after they dry.
Nearby volcanic activity from Ol Doinyo Lengai, the world's only active carbonatite volcano, pumps high concentrations of sodium carbonate and natron into the lake's water. This raises the water's pH to 10.5 or 12, making it nearly as corrosive as bleach or ammonia.
Since the lake has no outlet to the sea, salts and minerals become concentrated as water evaporates in the hot climate.
The internet’s "animals turned to stone" claim, however, was popularised by photographs taken by one British photographer for his 2013 book "Across the Ravaged Land."
Nick Brandt photographed dead birds and bats found along Lake Natron’s shoreline. Their bodies had been coated with mineral deposits, creating a chalky, hardened appearance. He then positioned some of the remains in lifelike poses for his “Petrified” series.
He later clarified that the lake’s high concentrations of soda and salt can indeed calcify and preserve animals after death, particularly as the remains dry.
Does this mean that everything that touches the lake dies? No, it does not.
Lake Natron is hostile to many animals, but it is far from lifeless. In fact, it is a major breeding site for the lesser flamingo. Certain tilapia species also survive in parts of the lake.
So, while Lake Natron is an alarming place for an unprepared visitor, it is home sweet home for wildlife adapted to its unusual chemistry.
References:
- https://www.livescience.com/
planet-earth/geology/lake- natron-the-caustic-blood-red- lake-in-tanzania-that-turns- animals-to-stone - https://www.iflscience.com/is-
there-a-lake-in-africa-that- turns-animals-to-stone-the- truth-is-even-more-grim-83358 - https://www.ndtv.com/
lifestyle/lake-natron-the-red- lake-in-tanzania-that-turns- living-things-into-stone- 10742854
