what to do on Lake Natron

It turns out that spirulina is also a favorite of the lesser flamingo, who consider it an important part of their daily diet. They consume so much of this red microorganism, that the rosy hue passes into the birds’ feathers, coloring them the attractive pink that is their signature color.

Lake Natron’s nutrients are so rich and available to the birds that up to 75% of all the lesser flamingoes in the world make this forbidding spot their home. And because the area is so otherwise desolate, the birds are protected from natural predators as they nest and feed on the small salt islands or “rafts” scattered around the lake.

However, even though their numbers are quite stunning at this one site, the flamingoes are still considered a “threatened” species as they are dependent on the lake.