Bolivians remove tons of trash from Lake Uru Uru, home to flamingos

A drone view shows volunteers taking part in a campaign to clean the banks of Lake Uru Uru, in Oruro, Bolivia October 5, 2024. REUTERS/Claudia Morales TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

ORURO, Bolivia (Reuters) - Volunteers and local leaders in Bolivia's high-altitude city of Oruro suited up in safety gear on Saturday to clean the polluted banks of the Andean country's Lake Uru Uru, home to flamingos and an important stopover for migratory birds.

The lake is contaminated with mineral sediments and garbage, and since 2021, annual clean-ups have helped reclaim some 19 hectares (47 acres) that had been covered with trash, according to city officials.