The world is home to some terrifying and dangerous bodies of water, places many people wouldn’t dare to cross, enter, or even approach. However, when it comes to the most haunting and surreal, located in a beautiful African country, one lake might just surpass them all.
A lake in Tanzania, East Africa, is so eerie and deadly that it has earned a chilling reputation—it is known for turning animals into stone, making it one of the most dangerous in the world.
Lake Natron is located in the northern part of the incredible country, close to its border with Kenya, and whilst the surroundings of the lake are full of wildlife, the lake itself poses a real threat to lives.
The 56-km-long body of water is a beautiful dark pink colour as a result of a specific type of algae called cyanobacteria present in the water. However, as pretty as it is, it is also dangerous to people, with tourists often being warned not to swim in it.
There are various features of the lake that make it deadly. First, the bacterium releases a chemical that damages the cells, nervous system, and livers of most that drink from it.
Another thing that makes it dangerous is the sodium carbonate that is also in the water. It was once used in Egyptian mummification to quickly desiccate and preserve bodies by preventing microbial decay.
The salt and high alkaline pH in the water can cause burns after contact.
Once a living thing touches water, calcification occurs, which covers every part of the body, from hair to toenails, and turns it rock-hard.
Despite the lake’s eeriness, some tourists still enjoy visiting the lake area, including Wildlife photographer Nick Brandt, who made use of the lake’s mystique by using the stone animal corposes as models for photography project that brought the creatures “back to life”.