Lake Retba - The Unusual Pink Lake in Senegal

Located north of the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal, Lake Retba is one of the most extraordinary lakes in the world. Also known as Lac Rose, it is an amazing pink color lake, one of the few pink color lakes one can found in this planet. The color of Lake Retba changes from a light purple to a deep scarlet pink depending on the time of the day. However, the unusual color of the lake is particularly visible during the dry season as the water dries out and the color becomes vivid.


According to scientists, the unusual color of the lake water is caused mainly by an organism called Dunaliella Salina. This organism is found in a large extinct in this unusual lake because of the high-salinity environment of Lake Retba. Dunaliella Salina produce a red pigment that absorbs and uses the energy of sunlight to create more energy and eventually this red pigment turns the lake's water into pink. The more presence of the organism in the water the deeper the color becomes in the lake water.


Lake Retba is somewhat similar to the Dead Sea as both the lakes have a high salt content. However, Lake Retba's water has as much as 40% salt content, which is almost one and a half times higher than that of the Dead Sea. Local residents have been mining the unusual pink color Lake Retba for its salt since the 1970s. They use this salt mainly to preserve the local fish.


Lake Retba is one of the unique places in Senegal. One can visit the lake and see the breathtaking pink color of the lake by their own eyes. It is located about 35 kilometers northeast of Senegal's capital Dakar. The pink color lake covers an area of about 3 square kilometers.

0 Responses to “Lake Retba - The Unusual Pink Lake in Senegal”

Original Material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial License. All Contents Copyright © 2012-2013 Apex Planet.