'The lake that mummifies': Tanzania’s toxic water body turns animals turn into statues

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Credit: Nick Brandt/Courtesy of Hasted Kraeutler Gallery

Death Mirror

Lake Natron’s red waters shimmer with life and death—flamingos dance above, while calcified corpses of birds and bats lie perfectly preserved below, as if frozen mid-flight.

Chemical Killzone

With a pH nearing 10.5, Natron’s waters are as caustic as ammonia. A splash here can burn skin and blind eyes. For most life, it’s toxic. For some, it’s paradise.

Stone Tombs

Photographer Nick Brandt’s haunting portraits of calcified creatures line the lake's edge—bats mid-screech, birds frozen in their final flight, eerily intact, eerily silent.

Credit: Nick Brandt/Courtesy of Hasted Kraeutler Gallery

Pink Pilgrimage

Despite the lake’s hostility, 75% of the world’s lesser flamingos hatch here. Tough legs, saline-proof skin, and algae-rich waters make this death lake a cradle of life.

Blood Lake

Flamingos don’t just survive—they flourish, feeding on red-pigmented algae that turn the lake blood-like during drought. The visuals are surreal. The science, astonishing.

Drought Paints

When water recedes, salt-loving haloarchaea explode in number—turning the lake’s surface into a surreal red-orange canvas only visible from the skies or space.

Nest Fortress

During dry seasons, crusty salt islands emerge—perfect for nesting. No predators. No intruders. Just sun, salt, and a secure cradle for the flamingos’ delicate eggs.

Rift-Fired

Sitting atop the East African Rift, Natron owes its chemistry to deep earth drama—volcanic flows infuse its waters with corrosive salts, turning it into a natural cauldron.

Mystery Remains

No one truly knows how the animals die. Do they misjudge the shimmering surface? Do fumes lure them to their end? The lake gives no answers—only statues of what once lived.

Credit: Nick Brandt/Courtesy of Hasted Kraeutler Gallery