Hawaii It is a paradisiacal destination that millions of tourists choose every year to relax and get in touch with nature. But recently a strange change in a lake has caught the attention of scientists, because it suddenly obtained a pink coloring.
Although many might be excited about the landscape, the reality is that researchers have been analyzing the phenomenon and concluded that the color apparently responds to drought. They have also warned that people should not swim in the water or drink it.
A pond in Maui Hawaii turned pink and it’s baffling scientists
According to media such as CBS Newsthe staff of the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, in Maui in Hawaiihas been monitoring the pink water since it changed color on October 30. Bret Wolfe, administrator of the shelter, said he received a report from a person who was walking on the beach and called him saying “something strange is happening here.”
Initially, the color was considered to be due to an algae invasion, but tests carried out in the laboratory at the University of Hawaii They found that that was not the reason, but an organism called halobacteria, a single-celled species that reproduces in bodies of water with high levels of salt. And the salt level inside the pond is greater than 70 parts per 1,000, that is, double the salinity of sea water.
Another reason why experts consider that it may be halobacteria It’s the drought he’s been through. Maui as normally the stream flows into the Kealia pond and raises the water levels, but this has not happened for a long time.
However, more analysis still needs to be carried out to identify if it really is this organism because the place has already gone through other periods of drought and high salinity before. Although, yes, none of the specialists or people who have worked at the shelter had seen the lake of that color, even the volunteers who have actively participated in the park for the last 70 years have been surprised.
What is certain is that this curious color has aroused the interest of visitors who have come in large numbers after the case became known on social networks. In this regard, the administrator said that, although he would prefer that people come to learn about his mission of conserving native waterfowl in danger of extinction and restoring wetlands, he knows that in reality they are only going to see the pink water
Those in charge of the refuge ask visitors not to try to swim in the lake, drink the water or eat some fish that has been caught there. Although, they clarified, they have discovered that until now the pink coloring It has not caused harm to wildlife.
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