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Coordinates: 14°50′18.02″N 17°14′41.36″W / 14.8383389°N 17.2448222°W / 14.8383389; -17.2448222
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{{short description|Pink-colored lake in Senegal}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox body of water
{{Infobox body of water
|name = Lac Rose
|name = Lake Retba
| image = File:RetbaLakeShore.jpg
| image = File:RetbaLakeShore.jpg
| caption = Lake shore
| caption = Lake shore
| image_bathymetry =
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Cap Vert]] peninsula
| location = [[Cap Vert]] Peninsula
| coords = {{Coord|14|50|18.02|N|17|14|41.36|W|type:waterbody_region:SN|display=inline,title}}
| coords = {{Coord|14|50|18.02|N|17|14|41.36|W|type:waterbody_region:SN|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[salt lake|saline lake]]
| type = [[Hypersaline lake]]
| inflow =
| inflow =
| outflow =
| outflow =
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| length =
| length =
| width =
| width =
| area = {{Convert|3|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}
| area = {{Convert|3|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}
| depth =
| depth =
| max-depth = {{convert|3|m|ft}}
| max-depth = {{convert|3|m|ft}}
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| cities =
| cities =
}}
}}
[[File:LacRoseSatellite.jpg|thumb|Cap Vert peninsula / Dakar NASA Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. 22 Nov. 2004.]]
[[File:LacRoseSatellite.jpg|thumb|Cap Vert peninsula (NASA, 22 Nov. 2004)]]
[[File:Lac Rose in Senegal.jpg|thumb|Lac Rose in Senegal]]
[[File:Lac Rose in Senegal.jpg|thumb|Lac Rose in Senegal]]
'''Lac Rose''' (meaning Pink Lake) lies north of the [[Cap Vert]] [[peninsula]] of [[Senegal]], some 30&nbsp;km (18 miles) north-east of the capital, [[Dakar]],<ref name=viva/> in northwest Africa.<ref name="bbc.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23759547|title=How salt miners save Senegal's Pink Lake|date=19 August 2013|work=[[BBC News Online]]}}</ref> It is named for its [[pink]] waters caused by ''[[Dunaliella salina]]'' algae and is known for its high [[salt]] content, up to 40% in some areas.
'''Lake Retba''', also known as '''Lac Rose''' (meaning "[[pink lake]]"), lies north of the [[Cap Vert]] peninsula in [[Senegal]], some {{cvt|35|km}} north-east of the capital, [[Dakar]], in northwest Africa. It is named for its [[pink]] waters caused by ''[[Dunaliella salina]]'' algae and is known for its high [[salt]] content, up to 40% in some areas. Its colour is usually particularly strong from late January to early March, during the dry season. However, flooding in September 2022 not only disrupted salt harvesting activities on the lake, but also led the lake to lose its colour, causing a negative effect on tourism.


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The lake is {{as of|lc=yes|2023}} under consideration by [[UNESCO]] as a [[World Heritage Site]].
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==Description==
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The lake is separated from the Atlantic Ocean only by a narrow corridor of dunes, and is named for its [[pink]] waters, caused by ''[[Dunaliella salina]]'' algae. The algae produces a red pigment to assist in absorbing light, which provides energy to create [[Adenosine triphosphate|ATP]].<ref name="huffingtonpost1">{{cite web |author=<!-- no byline -->|date=5 June 2012 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/05/lake-retba-senegal-giant-strawberry-milkshake_n_1570007.html |title=Lake Retba In Senegal Looks Like A Giant Strawberry Milkshake |website=[[Huffington Post UK]] |accessdate=2019-11-09}}</ref> The color is particularly visible during the [[dry season]] (from November to June) and is less visible during the rainy season (July to October).<ref>{{cite news |title=22 Epic Places You Didn't Know Existed |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/22-epic-places-you-didnt-know-existed_n_4151416 |accessdate=2019-11-09 |work=HuffPost |date=26 October 2013}}</ref>


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==Description==
[[Magenta]] coloured [[samphire]] bushes flourish in the white sandbanks, and the sand dunes are terra-cotta-coloured{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}}.
⚫
The lake is situated {{cvt|35|km}} north-east of [[Dakar]],<ref name=whl/> separated from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] only by a narrow corridor of dunes, and is named for its [[pink]] waters, which are caused by ''[[Dunaliella salina]]'' algae. The algae produce a red pigment to help them absorb sunlight, which gives them energy to create [[Adenosine triphosphate|ATP]], a [[nucleotide]] that is necessary to produce [[energy]].<ref name="huffingtonpost1">{{cite web |author=<!-- no byline -->|date=5 June 2012 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/05/lake-retba-senegal-giant-strawberry-milkshake_n_1570007.html |title=Lake Retba in Senegal Looks Like A Giant Strawberry Milkshake |website=[[HuffPost]]|location=UK|accessdate=2019-11-09}}</ref> The colour is particularly visible during the [[dry season]] (from November to May) and less visible during the rainy season (June to October).<ref>{{cite news |title=22 Epic Places You Didn't Know Existed |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/22-epic-places-you-didnt-know-existed_n_4151416 |accessdate=2019-11-09 |work=HuffPost |date=26 October 2013}}</ref>


==Salt==
==Salt==
The [[lake]] is known for its high [[salt]] content, up to 40% in some areas, which is mainly due to ingress of seawater and its subsequent evaporation.<ref name="huffingtonpost1"/> Like the [[Dead Sea]] the lake is sufficiently [[buoyancy|buoyant]] that people can float easily.<ref name=viva/><ref name="bbc.com"/><ref name="Lake Retba">{{cite web|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-retba |title=Lake Retba |publisher=Atlas Obscura |accessdate=2013-05-23}}</ref>
The lake is known for its high salt content (up to 40% in some areas), which is mainly due to the ingress of seawater and its subsequent evaporation.<ref name="huffingtonpost1"/> Like the [[Dead Sea]], the lake is sufficiently [[buoyancy|buoyant]] that people can float easily.<ref name=viva/><ref name="bbc.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23759547|title=How salt miners save Senegal's Pink Lake|date=19 August 2013|work=[[BBC News Online]]}}</ref><ref name="Lake Retba">{{cite web|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-retba |title=Lake Retba |publisher=Atlas Obscura |accessdate=2013-05-23}}</ref>


Salt is exported across the region by up to 3,000 collectors, men and women from all over Western Africa, who work 6–7 hours a day, and protect their skin with ''beurre de Karité'' ([[shea butter]]), an emollient produced from [[Vitellaria paradoxa|Shea nuts]] which helps avoid tissue damage. The salt is used by Senegalese fishermen to preserve fish, a component of many traditional recipes including the national dish, a fish and rice meal called [[thieboudienne]].<ref name=viva>{{cite web
Salt is exported across the region by up to 3,000 collectors,<ref name=abc2023>{{cite web | title=Senegal's Lake Retba loses pink colour after flooding, putting livelihoods at risk | website=ABC News| publisher= [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]| date=3 February 2023 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-04/senegal-lake-retba-loses-pink-colour-after-flooding/101921790 | access-date=4 February 2023}}</ref> men and women from all over western Africa, who work 6–7 hours a day. They protect their skin with ''beurre de Karité'' ([[shea butter]]), an emollient produced from [[Vitellaria paradoxa|shea nuts]] which helps avoid tissue damage. The salt is used by Senegalese fishermen to preserve fish, which is an ingredient in many traditional recipes, including the national dish, which is a fish and rice combination called [[thieboudienne]].<ref name=viva>{{cite web| url = http://kosmo.vivanews.com/news/read/327036-danau-pink--sensasi-wisata-apung-di-senegal| title= Danau Pink, Sensasi Wisata Apung di Senegal| first1 = Wuri | last1 = Handayani| first2 = Tasya|last2 = Paramitha| work = VIVAnews| date = 19 June 2012| language = id| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120814154952/http://us.life.viva.co.id/news/read/327036-danau-pink--sensasi-wisata-apung-di-senegal| archive-date = 2012-08-14| access-date = 19 June 2012}}</ref><ref name="online.wsj.com">{{cite news|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303824204579423691350888338|title=Swim a Pink Lake in Senegal|first=Jody|last=Eddy|date=14 March 2014|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]| url-access=subscription}}</ref> About 38,000 tonnes of salt are harvested from this lake each year, which contributes to Senegal's salt production industry. Senegal is the number-one producer of salt in Africa.<ref name="FAO">{{cite web|last1=Kanoute|first1=Pape Tahirou| last2=Malan| first2=Christiane |last3=Stephane |first3=Fournier| last4=Teyssier|first4=Catherine|year=2018|title=Relevance of a Geographical Indication for Salt From Senegal's Pink Lake|url=http://www.fao.org/3/I7938EN/i7938en.pdf|location=Rome|publisher=FAO|pages=16pp}}</ref>
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[[File:Lake Retba (Lac Rose), worker is digging the salt in the lake.jpg|alt=worker is digging the salt in the lake|thumb|Worker harvesting salt from the lake]]
| url = http://kosmo.vivanews.com/news/read/327036-danau-pink--sensasi-wisata-apung-di-senegal
== Flooding ==
| title = Danau Pink, Sensasi Wisata Apung di Senegal
In 2022, severe flooding caused by torrential rains in Dakar devastated the lake. The floods breached its banks and contaminated its waters, turning its characteristic pink hue to green. This transformation threatens the ecosystem and economy of the area, impacting salt farmers, boatmen, souvenir vendors, and tourism. The flooding destroyed USD$696,000 worth of salt mounds, submerged businesses, and disrupted the lake's unique [[microbiome]], jeopardizing future harvests and tourist visits.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dione |first=Ngouda |date=January 24, 2023 |title=Life's no longer rosy at Senegal's Pink Lake after floods |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/lifes-no-longer-rosy-senegals-pink-lake-after-floods-2023-01-24/ |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>
| first1 = Wuri
| last1 = Handayani
| first2 = Tasya
|last2 = Paramitha
| work = VIVAnews
| language = id
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120814154952/http://us.life.viva.co.id/news/read/327036-danau-pink--sensasi-wisata-apung-di-senegal
| archive-date = 2012-08-14
| accessdate = 19 June 2012
}}</ref><ref name="online.wsj.com">{{cite news|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303824204579423691350888338|title=Swim a Pink Lake in Senegal|first=Jody|last=Eddy|date=14 March 2014|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref> About 38,000 tonnes of salt are harvested from this lake each year, it makes up part of the national salt produce in Senegal being the number one producer in Africa.<ref name="FAO">{{cite journal|last1=Kanoute|first1=Pape Tahirou|last2=Malan|first2=Christiane|last3=Stephane|first3=Fournier|last4=Teyssier|first4=Catherine|year=2018|title=Relevance of a Geographical Indication for Salt From Senegal's Pink Lake|url=http://www.fao.org/3/I7938EN/i7938en.pdf|format=PDF|location=Rome|publisher=FAO|pages=16pp}}</ref>


== Wildlife ==
Fish in the lake have adapted to its high salt content by evolving ways to pump out extra salt and keep their water levels balanced.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/water-h2o-life/life-in-water/surviving-in-salt-water |title=Surviving in Salt Water|author=<!-- no byline -->|website=American Museum of Natural History |accessdate=2019-11-09}}</ref>
Despite the high [[salinity]] of the lake, which can reach as high as 350 g/L during the [[dry season]], [[blackchin tilapia]] have been found living in [[Brackish water|brackish]] sections fed fresh water by an intermittent creek.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Garnier |first1=J. M.|last2=Gaudant |first2=J.|date=1984|title=Occurrence of Sarotherodon melanotheron Rueppell (teleostean fish, Cichlidae) in hyperhaline waters of Retba lake (Senegal) [Tilapia hendelotii]|url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Occurrence+of+Sarotherodon+melanotheron+Rueppell+%28teleostean+fish%2C+Cichlidae%29+in+hyperhaline+waters+of+Retba+lake+%28Senegal%29+%5BTilapia+hendelotii%5D&author=Garnier%2C+J.M.+%28Universite+de+Paris-11%2C+Orsay+%28France%29.+Laboratoire+d%27Hydrologie%29&publication_year=1984 |journal=Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série III |language=French|issn=0249-6313}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Paugy|first1=Didier|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320991783|title=The Inland Water Fishes of Africa: Diversity, Ecology and Human Use|last2=Lévêque|first2=Christian|last3=Otero|first3=Olga|date=2017-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last1=Paugy|first1=Didier|title=Fish communities in small aquatic ecosystems: caves, gueltas, crater and salt lakes|date=2017|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4000/books.irdeditions.25253|work=The inland water fishes of Africa| pages=397–415 |publisher=IRD Éditions |access-date=2022-02-04| last2=Levêque| first2=Christian| doi=10.4000/books.irdeditions.25253|isbn=9782709924009}}</ref>
The fish are approximately four times smaller than those living in a normal environment, as a result of [[salt water fish dwarfism]].<ref>http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/409080/view</ref>


==World heritage listing==
However, further research disproves the existence of [[tilapia]] in the lake's waters.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sarr|first1=Raphaël|last2=Debenay|first2=Jean-Pierre|last3=Sow|first3=El Hadji|date=January 2009|title=Enregistrement des fluctuations du niveau marin dans l'Holocène supérieur du lac Retba (Sénégal) par les foraminifères|journal=Revue de Micropaléontologie|volume=52|issue=1|pages=31–41|doi=10.1016/j.revmic.2007.01.008|issn=0035-1598}}</ref>
Lake Retba has been under consideration by [[UNESCO]] as a [[World Heritage Site]] since October 2005,<ref name=whl>{{cite web | title=Le Lac Rose | website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|lang=fr | url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2080/ | access-date=4 February 2023}}</ref> and remains so {{as of|lc=yes|2023}}.<ref name=abc2023/>
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[[File:Lake Retba (Lac Rose), worker is digging the salt in the lake.jpg|alt=worker is digging the salt in the lake|thumb|Worker harvesting salt from the lake.]]


==World heritage==
==Motorsport==
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Lake Retba is under consideration by [[UNESCO]] as a [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="online.wsj.com"/>

==Dakar Rally==
The lake was often the finishing point of the [[Dakar Rally]], before the rally moved to South America in 2009.<ref name="Lake Retba"/>
The lake was often the finishing point of the [[Dakar Rally]], before the rally moved to South America in 2009.<ref name="Lake Retba"/>


In 2021, it hosted a round of the [[Extreme E]] electric off-road racing series.{{cn|date=February 2023}}
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==See also==

* [[Lake Hillier]]
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== See also ==
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* Sir [[Michael Tippett]], who composed ''The Rose Lake'' after seeing it.
* [[Pink lake]]
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* Sir [[Michael Tippett]], who composed ''The Rose Lake'' after seeing it
* '''''{{portal-inline|Lakes}}'''''

==Further reading==
* {{cite web |title=A Look at Lake Retba, Senegal's Pink Lake |website=Edward Asare |date=5 May 2021 |url=https://edwardasare.com/a-look-at-lake-retba-senegals-pink-lake/}}


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
*[http://www.lakeretba.com Lake Retba]
*[http://www.lakeretba.com Lake Retba]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmPMhTzMQc8&list=PLzGHKb8i9vTzaW8FXpQuLYHQOkP2wjXv0 ''Senegal’s Pink Lake'']. Al Jazeera English, October 2021 (video, 46 mins)


{{Commons category|Lac rose (Senegal)}}
{{Commons category|Lac rose (Senegal)}}


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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


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[[Category:Lakes of Senegal]]
[[Category:Lakes of Senegal]]
[[Category:Saline lakes of Africa]]
[[Category:Saline lakes of Africa]]


{{Senegal-geo-stub}}

Latest revision as of 07:02, 4 January 2025

Lake Retba
Lake shore
Lake Retba is located in Senegal
Lake Retba
Lake Retba
LocationCap Vert Peninsula
Coordinates14°50′18.02″N 17°14′41.36″W / 14.8383389°N 17.2448222°W / 14.8383389; -17.2448222
TypeHypersaline lake
Basin countriesSenegal
Surface area3 km2 (1.2 sq mi)
Max. depth3 metres (9.8 ft)
Cap Vert peninsula (NASA, 22 Nov. 2004)
Lac Rose in Senegal

Lake Retba, also known as Lac Rose (meaning "pink lake"), lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula in Senegal, some 35 km (22 mi) north-east of the capital, Dakar, in northwest Africa. It is named for its pink waters caused by Dunaliella salina algae and is known for its high salt content, up to 40% in some areas. Its colour is usually particularly strong from late January to early March, during the dry season. However, flooding in September 2022 not only disrupted salt harvesting activities on the lake, but also led the lake to lose its colour, causing a negative effect on tourism.

The lake is as of 2023 under consideration by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Description

[edit]

The lake is situated 35 km (22 mi) north-east of Dakar,[1] separated from the Atlantic Ocean only by a narrow corridor of dunes, and is named for its pink waters, which are caused by Dunaliella salina algae. The algae produce a red pigment to help them absorb sunlight, which gives them energy to create ATP, a nucleotide that is necessary to produce energy.[2] The colour is particularly visible during the dry season (from November to May) and less visible during the rainy season (June to October).[3]

Salt

[edit]

The lake is known for its high salt content (up to 40% in some areas), which is mainly due to the ingress of seawater and its subsequent evaporation.[2] Like the Dead Sea, the lake is sufficiently buoyant that people can float easily.[4][5][6]

Salt is exported across the region by up to 3,000 collectors,[7] men and women from all over western Africa, who work 6–7 hours a day. They protect their skin with beurre de Karité (shea butter), an emollient produced from shea nuts which helps avoid tissue damage. The salt is used by Senegalese fishermen to preserve fish, which is an ingredient in many traditional recipes, including the national dish, which is a fish and rice combination called thieboudienne.[4][8] About 38,000 tonnes of salt are harvested from this lake each year, which contributes to Senegal's salt production industry. Senegal is the number-one producer of salt in Africa.[9]

worker is digging the salt in the lake
Worker harvesting salt from the lake

Flooding

[edit]

In 2022, severe flooding caused by torrential rains in Dakar devastated the lake. The floods breached its banks and contaminated its waters, turning its characteristic pink hue to green. This transformation threatens the ecosystem and economy of the area, impacting salt farmers, boatmen, souvenir vendors, and tourism. The flooding destroyed USD$696,000 worth of salt mounds, submerged businesses, and disrupted the lake's unique microbiome, jeopardizing future harvests and tourist visits.[10]

Wildlife

[edit]

Despite the high salinity of the lake, which can reach as high as 350 g/L during the dry season, blackchin tilapia have been found living in brackish sections fed fresh water by an intermittent creek.[11][12][13]

World heritage listing

[edit]

Lake Retba has been under consideration by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since October 2005,[1] and remains so as of 2023.[7]

Motorsport

[edit]

The lake was often the finishing point of the Dakar Rally, before the rally moved to South America in 2009.[6]

In 2021, it hosted a round of the Extreme E electric off-road racing series.[citation needed]

See also

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
  • "A Look at Lake Retba, Senegal's Pink Lake". Edward Asare. 5 May 2021.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Le Lac Rose". UNESCO World Heritage Centre (in French). Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Lake Retba in Senegal Looks Like A Giant Strawberry Milkshake". HuffPost. UK. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  3. ^ "22 Epic Places You Didn't Know Existed". HuffPost. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b Handayani, Wuri; Paramitha, Tasya (19 June 2012). "Danau Pink, Sensasi Wisata Apung di Senegal". VIVAnews (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  5. ^ "How salt miners save Senegal's Pink Lake". BBC News Online. 19 August 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Lake Retba". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Senegal's Lake Retba loses pink colour after flooding, putting livelihoods at risk". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ^ Eddy, Jody (14 March 2014). "Swim a Pink Lake in Senegal". The Wall Street Journal.
  9. ^ Kanoute, Pape Tahirou; Malan, Christiane; Stephane, Fournier; Teyssier, Catherine (2018). "Relevance of a Geographical Indication for Salt From Senegal's Pink Lake" (PDF). Rome: FAO. pp. 16pp.
  10. ^ Dione, Ngouda (24 January 2023). "Life's no longer rosy at Senegal's Pink Lake after floods". Reuters.
  11. ^ Garnier, J. M.; Gaudant, J. (1984). "Occurrence of Sarotherodon melanotheron Rueppell (teleostean fish, Cichlidae) in hyperhaline waters of Retba lake (Senegal) [Tilapia hendelotii]". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série III (in French). ISSN 0249-6313.
  12. ^ Paugy, Didier; Lévêque, Christian; Otero, Olga (10 November 2017). The Inland Water Fishes of Africa: Diversity, Ecology and Human Use.
  13. ^ Paugy, Didier; Levêque, Christian (2017), "Fish communities in small aquatic ecosystems: caves, gueltas, crater and salt lakes", The inland water fishes of Africa, IRD Éditions, pp. 397–415, doi:10.4000/books.irdeditions.25253, ISBN 9782709924009, retrieved 4 February 2022
[edit]
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