![]() ![]() “There’s no certainty about why flamingos die in large numbers,” Harper said, but theories have suggested an infectious bout of pneumonia, he said. He counted up to 1,000 fallen birds in a single day, and estimated that about 200,000 birds were lost that season. Lake Natron (Koeppen climate Aw), where trona is the dominant evaporite, is a major breeding ground for flamingos in East Africa and is the only regular. In fact, when Harper first visited Lake Bogoria in Kenya in 1989, he walked into one of the bigger die-offs in the East African population’s history. TONY KARUMBA / AFP - Getty Images fileīut large numbers of flamingos also have a tendency to die all at once, for reasons that remain unclear to researchers. Lesser flamingos are pictured on Septemin Lake Natron. A courting pair, plump from gulping down red algae and blushing from the pigment that the microbes leach into their skin, will produce a single oblong egg, laid in a miniature salt island made of the soda ash that precipitates out of the lake water as the water evaporates. Astounding star gazing and interesting bird watching add to the delights.Life and death on the banks of Lake Natronįlamingo flocks arrive at Natron annually, even though each bird will mate only once every four or five years. #Lake natron flamingos full#Amenities are few, but all standard tents come with a comfy bed with full linens and en-suite private bucket shower and chemical loo the food is simple but very respectable and the views are wonderful of the desert mountains dotting every horizon. The lake's hypersaline water can strip away human skin, and breeds algae toxic to many. Natron Halisi is a modest, 10-unit mobile-camp semi-permanently situated in a Maasai grazing area where there’s welcome shade from huge trees. Lake Natron Visit Lake Natron in Tanzania and you'll find 75 of the world's 3.2 million lesser flamingos. ![]() If you come, we recommend staying at Lake Natron Halisi, in fact this is our standard choice on the 7-day group safari. The area is best for adventurers, keen photographers, and tough, open-minded cultural travel enthusiasts. It’s amazing but this is a harsh region, making even a short stay very unpleasant if you are not up for the heat and dust or if you are a luxury traveler. On a typical 2-night stay in Natron, you can have all the above experiences. Remember there are no gear rental shops here, unlike at Meru or Kilimanjaro, so you’ll have to bring all of your own mountaineering gear – poles, gaiters, boots, rain/wind jacket, fleece, hat, etc. ![]() The mountain hike is an optional activity at Natron Halisi Camp – just let us or your AWR guide know well in advance if you are interested. It will take most of the morning to make it up the very slender summit – part of the crater wall – and back. The trip starts at 11pm with the drive to the base, and at about 12 midnight, you join your Maasai guide for the push up. The elevation gain is over 5,000 feet, mostly at a steep 45 degree angle, with lots of exposure, through loose volcanic grit and rock and at higher elevations, thick sulfuric fumes. While it may be a day hike, it’s a very difficult climb suitable only for tough, experienced mountain hikers. It’s also the third highest mountain in Tanzania. The three serious hikers in our party chose to climb nearby Ol Doinyo Lengai (10,450 feet), one the most unique volcanoes in the world since it is the only one in the world that spews Natrocarbonatite lava. But despite Lake Natron being so, adly, it has become a peaceful mating spot for one interesting species: Flamingos. ![]()
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