@viggy40 17 November 2021

Pink Lake

Lake Retba (also known as Lac Rose) is located in northern Senegal on the Cap Vert Peninsula, and is known around the world for its pink color, which it gets from a certain type of algae that inhabit it. Strawberry color is produced by salt-loving organisms, Dunaliella Salina. They produce a red pigment that absorbs the sun's energy and creates even more energy from it, turning the color of the water into pink.

Lake Retba has unusual properties. Dunaliella salina is known for its anti-oxidant effects and is able to create a large amount of carotenoids. As a result, they are often found in cosmetics and as a dietary supplements. As might be expected, due to the high level of salt, rare organisms can survive in the lake, so the pink Lake Retba simply serves as a source of salt and as an unusual tourist attraction.