This eye-searing pink lake is not full of flamingos
A flamingo-colored lake in Australia is just the latest example of nature getting a little wild.
Unlike the pink water flowing from taps in Canada this week, the hot-pink water in an Australian lake comes from natural causes. A salt lake in Westgate Park in Victoria turned a cheery shade of bright pink due to a combination of seasonal weather conditions and algae.
Park management organization Parks Victoria posted photos of the unreal-looking water earlier this week on Facebook, citing high salt levels, high temperatures, sunlight and a lack of rain for the festive appearance.
"Algae growing in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake produces the red pigment (beta carotene) as part of its photosynthesis process and in response to the extremely high salt levels," Parks Victoria notes.
The same combination of conditions has turned the lake pink in previous years, and it's not the only salt lake to turn such a hue. Parts of Utah's Great Salt Lake also turned pinkish in 2016 during drought conditions.
Parks Victoria tells visitors to enjoy the view, but not to come into direct contact with the water. The lake should turn back to a normal shade as winter approaches, the weather cools off and rainfall ramps up.
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