3. Lake Retba, Senegal
Northeastern of Dakar, Senegal, Lake Retba—also known as Lac Rose—is a salty lake. Seasonal fluctuations and sunlight’s strength determine how pink this amazing water body becomes from deep red. The lake is even saltier than the Dead Sea because of its very high salt concentration, which can reach up to 40% in some regions. Dunaliella salina algae produces a red pigment to absorb sunlight and generate energy, so enabling them survival in this hostile environment. This gives the pink coloring. Mostly women, local salt collectors wade daily into the lake using age-old techniques to gather salt; their skin is shielded from the strong salinity by shea butter. Natural events plus human activity produce an amazing ecosystem that supports local economy as well as environmental uniqueness.
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