The risk of extinction of little flamingos on Lake Natron in Tanzania

Problems

• The special features and ecological aspects of Lake Natron

  Natron is a saline and alkaline lake located in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania, on the border with Kenya. The lake is located in the Gregory Rift, which is the eastern part of the East African Rift. The international Ramsar Convention protects the Lake Natron basin.
  
  Natron is primarily fed by the Evaso Ngiro River, which originates in an area in northern Kenya rich in minerals. The lake is no more than three meters deep and varies in shoreline depending on the season and water level.
  
  The water in the lake has a red color, this feature is caused by the activity of microorganisms. The lake is located in an active volcanic zone, near the volcano Oldonio Lengai. Natron is one of the unique alkaline lakes of the world, the water of which consists mainly of salt and soda. It is a protected area, which is the habitat of small flamingos. About 2.5 million of these beautiful birds can congregate on the shores of the lake at one time.
  Scientists have tried to explain the phenomenon of the Tanzanian reservoir. They found that the hydrogen index in the local waters (which has an average value of 10.5) and excessive alkaline impurities lead to the formation of large amounts of soda, minerals, and salts, which lead to the fossilization of animal remains.
  Scientists cannot yet say with complete certainty why birds often fall into or within the lake. Still, there is a theory that the body of water has strong reflective properties that prevent birds from navigating correctly.

• The flora and fauna of Lake Natron

  It would seem that neither flora nor fauna could live in such a harsh environment. However, such an aggressive environment turned out to be comfortable for several species of algae, fish, and small flamingos. This is their only breeding ground in the region, as there are virtually no predators in the area. The lake's poisonous environment has become something of an invisible barrier for predators, so they avoid the lake. In the evaporation season, islands form on the lake, where flamingos build their nests and breed.
  
  The number of flamingos on the lake reaches several million. Among other things, they feed on blue-green algae containing beta-carotene, which makes their feathers bright pink.
  
  As beautiful as Lake Natron is, it is also harsh-if an animal enters the lake, it immediately dies, and its remains harden into natural poses, turning into "mummies”.

• Lake Natron's Environmental Problems

  Threats to the balance of salinity may come from increased siltation of Lake Natron watershed tributaries and the planned hydropower plant at Lake Evasco Ngiro. Although development plans include building a dam at the north end of the lake to contain fresh water, the threat of dissolving the saline portion of the lake is still serious. So far, there is no formal protection for the salty part of the lake.
  
  A new threat to Lake Natron is the proposed development of a potash plant on its shores. The plant would pump water from the lake and extract potassium carbonate to convert it into laundry detergent. 
  
  Construction of the plant would have provided housing for more than 1,000 plant workers and a coal-fired power plant that provided energy to the plant complex. 

• What are the prospects for the little flamingos at Lake Natron?

  According to Chris Magin, RSPB Africa Officer, "The chances of small flamingos continuing to breed in the face of this pogrom are nil. This development could lead to the extinction of the lesser flamingos in East Africa. The lives of these birds are currently in the hands of environmentalists fighting against the construction of a factory near Lake Natron.