“A calcified flamingo, preserved by the highly basic waters of Tanzania’s Lake Natron and photographed by Nick Brandt,” reads National Geographic’s caption of one of the photos included in the Facebook post.

The photographs included in the post were taken by photographer Nick Brandt in 2013, who collected the animal carcasses around the lake’s shoreline and posed them for the pictures, the outlet reported. The dead animals in the photos were not instantly turned to stone by the lake, but rather became calcified due to the characteristics of the lake, according to National Geographic. “Any animal which touches the lake turns into stone.” (RELATED: Does This Image Show A Heart-Shaped Pond In Zimbabwe?) “Natron Lake in Tanzania is the most (sic) deadliest place for animals,” reads text included in the image. The image shows what appears to be the petrified remains of two birds sitting on a body of water. An image shared on Facebook claims it turns any animal that touches it to stone. Learn more about killer lakes here.Lake Natron in Tanzania is a saltwater lake with a pH of 10.5 (nearly as high as that of ammonia) and temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Smithsonian Magazine. You can find the Brandt’s new collection of photos featuring animals in east Africa in ACROSS THE RAVAGED LAND. A nice gift for any nature lovers!įind more about Nick Brandt and his work on Artsy. Calcified bat at lake Natron in Tanzania. So like crashing into a glass windows, they crash into the lake. High temperatures and salinity play of course a major part, but the extreme reflective nature of the lake‘s surface could also play an important role by confusing birds. No one actually knows with certainty how they die. Photos by Nick BrandtĪs shown by the amazing photographs of Nick Brandt, animals that become immersed in the water die and are calcified, yes they are like petrified and perfectly preserved. Calcified dove (left) and sea eagle (right) at lake Natron in Tanzania. In this arid region of Africa, it has come from volcanic ash, accumulated from the Great Rift valley. Natron, so the name of the lake, is a naturally occurring compound made mainly of sodium carbonate, with a bit of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) thrown in. Lake Natron is situated in Tanzania and is everything but hospitable: its water temperatures can reach 60 ☌, and its alkalinity is between pH 9 and pH 10.5. Calcified flamingo at lake Natron in Tanzania. Look at these photographs of calcified animals! It is surely the most horrific depiction of the “bird of peace” since Picasso’s Guernica.

Lake natron calcified animals hoax