In which lake is the transparent fish golomyanka found? "Shark" of Lake Baikal - amazing facts about Golomyanka
Including two species, large and small golomyanka. These are transparent fish without scales or swim bladders, whose body is 35% fat. They live at great depths in Lake Baikal and are viviparous. The Russian name “golomyanka” comes from the word “golomen”, which means “open sea”, and accurately conveys the ecological features of these fish. It is characterized by thinning of the skull bones, reduction of the skeleton of the ventral fins and, on the contrary, an increase in the size of the pectoral, dorsal and anal fins.
Size and weight of golomyanka
The largest specimens are females of the Great Golomyanka up to 25 cm, males - up to 16 cm. Females and males of the Lesser Golomyanka are noticeably smaller in size: females up to 15 cm, males up to 12 cm.
Golomyanka matures in the 2-3rd year of life, therefore, it could live up to 10-15 years. However, it has not yet been possible to meet such high-aged individuals. According to the observations of E. A. Koryakov (1964), the maximum age for females of the great golomyanka is 7 years, for males - 4 years.
Golomyanka lifestyle
Golomyankas have zero or even slightly negative buoyancy and balance their body weight due to the high fat content in the muscles and internal organs (the fat content in the large golomyanka reaches 43-44% of its weight, in the small golomyanka there is much less fat - up to 8-9 %). Two females of a large golomyanka with a total weight of 80 g are equivalent in caloric content to an omul weighing 340 g or a grayling weighing 500 g. The calorie content of a large golomyanka is 3 times greater than that of a sturgeon.
Golomyanka gives birth to live larvae, unlike all other fish living in Baikal, which lay eggs in the lake or in its tributaries to breed. In the literal sense, the golomyanka does not spawn at all, that is, it does not lay eggs and does not have spawning migrations, as is typical for all other fish in Baikal. She gives birth to her offspring when the time comes and in the place where she lives at the moment. To give birth to offspring, female golomyankas rise to the surface of the lake. This is probably necessary so that the offspring have the opportunity to feed on the planktonic organisms living here (epishura, macrohectopus fry, etc.). The Great Golomyanka usually gives birth to its offspring in the fall, in September - October; small golomyanka - in the spring, after Lake Baikal is freed from ice. Large specimens of the large golomyanka give birth to up to 2.0-2.5 thousand pieces of larvae, the small golomyanka is almost 1.5 times smaller - up to 1.5 thousand pieces.
Newborn larvae spend the first period of their life in the near-surface water horizons. According to some authors, golomyankas die during the birth of their offspring, while other viviparous fish (for example, freshwater gambusia, sea sharks) after the birth of their offspring remain alive and are capable of rebirth. A method of reproduction similar to that of the golomyanka is unknown in any aquatic organism in the world.
The fry feed on epishura, cyclops and juveniles of macrohectopus. Adult golomyankas consume mainly the crustacean Macrohectopus, as well as their own juveniles (cannibalism) and the juveniles of pelagic gobies - yellowfish and longwing. Own juveniles in the diet of golomyankas make up about 20%. During the year, golomyankas and pelagic gobies utilize up to 1 million tons of epishura.
Methods of catching golomyanka
Golomyanka, as a rule, is not caught. This fish does not form fishing or spawning schools and lives dispersed in the water column. It gets into the nets in very small quantities - up to 100 g per 100 m 2 of nets per day. It would be possible to catch golomyankas with a trawl, but this is also unprofitable - about 0.5 kg is caught in one hour of trawling. fish. Attempts were made to catch it by the light, but it did not attract it either.
- Golomyanki are the most numerous fish in Lake Baikal. Their total weight is about 150 thousand tons, which is 67% of the biomass of all fish. The annual growth of the golomyanka is about 150 thousand tons, that is, during the year it seems to completely renew its entire population.
Golomyankas are endemic fish that have lived exclusively in the ancient Lake Baikal for several million years. Scientists distinguish 2 types of golomyanka: large golomyanka (the size of females, which are larger than males, reaches 25 cm) and small (the size of females is about 15 cm). The large golomyanka was described at the end of the 18th century by the scientist P. Pallas. Small golomyankas are also called Dybowski's golomyankas - after the name of the Polish naturalist Benedikt Dybowski, exiled to Siberia for participating in the uprising. Once he caught a small golomyanka in an ice hole near Kultuk and found inside the fish not caviar, but already hatched fry, and concluded that it had a unique viviparous ability. While other fish of Baikal traditionally spawn or spawn. Scientists know viviparous fish of warm seas (sharks, gambusia), but in cold latitudes only golomyanka is capable of such a feat. And the feat of this heroic fish is also that childbirth occurs at the cost of its own life: after the birth of about 1000 live larvae, the golomyanka most often dies (although this fact does not in any way affect the population of the golomyanka - scientists count about 50 billion individuals).
The amazing golomyanka got its name from the ancient word “golomen”, which in the local dialect meant “open sea, far from the coast” and reflected the characteristic way of life of this unusual fish.
10 amazing facts about golomyanka:
– 70% of fish in Lake Baikal are golomyanka
- the fish has no scales
– almost half of the body consists of fat
– if you fry golomyanka in a frying pan, then only the backbone will remain - everything else will simply melt into fat
– viviparous fish
– after the birth of the offspring, the golomyanka dies
– golomyankas are cannibals – they eat young individuals of their own species
– the golomyanka has a huge mouth: the open mouth is 1.5 times wider than the body
– golomyankas can live at home in an aquarium, provided that low temperatures are maintained (up to +6)
– golomyanka is inedible for people, cats and dogs don’t eat it either, but Baikal seals are very fond of it
The internal structure of the Baikal golomyanka is also unusual compared to other fish. It does not have the swim bladder characteristic of all fish. The inside of the golomyanka consists of 40% fat, which gives it a translucent appearance. But the main thing is that this feature helps her swim without a bladder and survive in the cold Baikal water, and even at great depths.
The body of the Baikal golomyanka is another unique feature - it is smooth, without scales, which is also uncharacteristic for fish, especially in northern latitudes. The golomyanka has large fan-shaped pectoral fins, with the help of which it can rise closer to the surface of the water from a depth of 200-500 meters. These are the so-called vertical migrations that the fish carries out for food. At night, the fish rises to the surface of the water to feast on planktonic epishur crustaceans or juveniles of other golomyankas, and during the day it hides from its natural enemies - Baikal seals and omuls - in the depths of the lake. At the surface of the water, where there is more plankton for food, golomyankas also breed their offspring. In general, these fish lead a solitary lifestyle and do not form schools.
The Baikal golomyanka is not a commercial fish: due to hovering in the water column at the depths of the lake and its nocturnal lifestyle, it is rarely caught in fishermen’s nets and is not caught with fishing rods or bait, so its population in the lake, according to scientists, is 70% of of the entire fish biomass of Lake Baikal. But Baikal seals, sturgeons, omuls and other large fish readily feed on the fatty and nutritious golomyanka. In the old days, the fat rendered from Golomyanka was willingly sold to the Chinese, who used it in folk medicine, or used it for household purposes (as lamp oil or for lubricating leather shoes).
Usually the Baikal golomyanka lives at a depth of more than 100 meters, so people can rarely see it swimming freely. But in winter, the fish can rise closer to the surface of the lake and can be caught in an ice hole or seen through the ice by ice fishing enthusiasts. Dead golomyankas are often washed ashore after a night storm, where they become prey for birds. However, it is more interesting to admire the unique golomyanka fish in aquariums, as well as listen to an educational lecture about them at the Baikal Limnological Museum, which is located in the village of Listvyanka
Golomyanka is a small unusual fish that lives in Lake Baikal. It is slightly pink, transparent or translucent, and also prefers deep waters and the bottom. But the lucky ones managed to film its movements several times under the ice near the surface of the lake. Fish are endemic - local small species that live only in a given area.
It is noteworthy that this Baikal fish of the Golomyankov family has no scales and one third consists of fat. This compensates for her lack of a swim bladder. Both large and small species (Dybovsky's golomyanka; named after the naturalist Benedikt Dybovsky, who discovered the fish in 1830) are most often found at a depth of 0.5 to 0.25 km, but live even deeper - up to 1.6 km.
origin of name
Previously, the family was called “Kolomenka”, and then from the word “golomen”, which means “deserted places”, the final common name was obtained. Some sources translate this word as “open sea,” which is undoubtedly suitable for Baikal.
In addition to the sizes, which gave the basis for the names of the species, there are a number of distinctive features:
- color (larger ones have a whiter body, which is explained by a large amount of white fat under transparent skin);
- the size of the eyes (in the small species d is 2 times less than the width of the forehead);
- survival rate (big ones die more often during childbirth);
- the number of males (large ones have much fewer).
Nutrition
The method of catching food is by opening the mouth and frequently biting. The main diet of the golomyanka is planktonic crustaceans of Baikal waters (Cyclops, Jurassic amphipods, Epishurs). Large individuals often engage in cannibalism within their families or among young bulls. It is interesting that the golomyanka goes up to feed at night, and during the day it hides from predators like omul or seal closer to the bottom. If fish wash ashore after a storm, they become prey for local birds.
Reproduction
The Baikal golomyanka is viviparous; it does not spawn, spawn, or migrate. All this is incredible, because in cold waters populations survive only on eggs. But the fat fish managed to overcome the forces of nature and become a legend of Lake Baikal.
Before giving birth, she rises to the level where plankton lives in order to provide food for the offspring. It was believed that fish most often die during childbirth, but later studies refuted this assumption. The large species breeds at the end of summer (the water is as warm as possible) until mid-autumn. The small species prefers spring. The presence of travelers and swimmers does not bother the fish. During the birth process, up to 2,500 larvae of the large species and about 1,500 larvae of the small species appear at a time. The sexual cycle is usually one-time.
Spreading
Golomyanka loves the cold and can withstand temperatures from 0 to +8 degrees, and in warmer water it dies or hibernates.
The Golomyanka is the most famous Baikal specimen, and it makes up the bulk of the lake:
- about 150 thousand adult fish and fry;
- over 65% of the fish biomass of Baikal;
- Mortality and birth rates of fish are comparable, so a complete “reboot” occurs periodically.
The Baikal fish brethren are well acquainted with places where zooplankton is abundant, so in the vicinity of the Barguzin Bay and the Small Sea you will not find golomyanka. Predators, whom the golomyanka is afraid of, arrive there.
Defense Mechanisms
The fish is saved from seals and other inhabitants of the lake by extremely poor body resources:
- constant movement;
- a thorn in the anal area (if there is one);
- avoiding light areas.
There is no protection on the head; there are no special devices like an ink cloud.
Fishing
People rarely hunt endemics, because they are practically endangered species. In addition, the golomyanka is a meager fishery; it gets into the net only by accident, and does not respond to a fishing rod, hook or bait. It also rarely rises to the surface.
Fishermen are interested in the presence of golomyanka only because it provides food for large schools of omul and other Baikal fish.
Late maturation (at 2-3 years of life) and early extinction (at 4-7 years) also does not contribute to targeted fishing. Although the adult specimen is superior to sturgeon in terms of calorie content. At one time, fish oil, rendered from a strange fish, was sold and given to soldiers during the war, and supplied to China.
The famous Baikal fish has repeatedly surprised scientists who continue to study it. They are also placed in aquariums, where they create an imitation of pressure at great depths.
In particular, the fish is unique:
- a method of reproduction that is not typical for other fish of Lake Baikal (they spawn);
- a strange reaction to light (it does not attract, but frightens, but the main thing is that the visual pigments have not atrophied, which means they are used, albeit at depth, in the darkness);
- transparency of the skin (you can even read through the tail);
- a meager female/male ratio (the latter, as a rule, barely account for 4%).
Individuals of the large species do not exceed 25 cm, and small ones - 15 cm. The open mouth is 1.5 times the width of the carcass. Schooling is not inherent in the Golomyanka. It moves on its own and does not act in the interests of the population. Evolution on this fish also decided to take a break, because no development is observed, there is stability in all life and other cycles.
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Golomyanka (lat. Comephorus) is a genus of fish of the Golomyanka family, which is divided into 2 species: Big (lat. Comephorus baicalensis) and Small golomyanka (lat. Comephorus dybowski). endemic
origin of name
The name comes from the ancient Russian golomen - bottomless places, deep areas of the sea, derived from the more ancient golomen - open sea; a section of a lake or river far from the shore. The word golomya was recorded in the Russian language in the 16th century. In Siberia it means an open place in the sea far from the shore; it was used in Mangazeya documents in 1645. V.I. Dahl notes the following words: golomya, golymya, golomen - open sea; golomenny - relating to the open sea; Golomyanka is a Baikal fish that always stays in golomen, at great depths. In the 18th century, he introduced the name of the fish into scientific circulation - Comephorus baicalensis (Big Golomyanka).
Appearance
One of the Baikal endemics (fish of this family live only in). They look unusual - a translucent body without scales and a swim bladder. The body of the golomyanka consists of 35% fat. They live deep in the water column. Viviparous fish.
Lifestyle
Golomyanka can make vertical movements to maximum depths during the day. A quick reaction allows them to instantly grab nearby crustaceans or their own fry. Despite the fact that the golomyanka leads a solitary lifestyle, not forming schools, it makes up a huge percentage of the biomass of all fish - about 200 thousand tons, approximately 50 billion individuals.
Research by Peter Pallas
Source: Baikal Studies: textbook. allowance / N. S. Berkin, A. A. Makarov, O. T. Rusinek. – Irkutsk: Irkutsk Publishing House. state Univ., 2009. pp. 195-196.
Golomyanka in questions and answers
565. How many species of golomyanka live in Baikal?
Live golomyankas in their natural environment are exceptionally beautiful fish. They are pale pink in color, with pearlescent highlights shimmering in all the colors of the rainbow. This effect is enhanced by the rays of the sun passing through the uneven transparency of the ice. The golomyanka's body is translucent, its eyes have a bright orange rim, like those of albinos. Large black letters on a white background can be read through the tail section. The giant pectoral fins covering half the body are completely transparent. The mouth of the golomyanka is quite large, the open mouth is one and a half times the width of the body.
There are two species of golomyanka living in Baikal: the great SomephorusbaicalensisPall, and Dybovsky's golomyanka, or small golomyanka,Comephorusdybowskii Co. r. Both types of golomyanka found at various depths to the very bottom. But the big golomyanka is more often found at greater depths. During the daytime, the small golomyanka stays mainly at a depth of 250-500 m, and at night it rises to the surface - to depths of 50-100 m. Vertical migrations, especially in the summer, are more clearly expressed in the small golomyanka. In winter, she was repeatedly observed swimming up to the very hole in the ice. Both species of golomyanka can live in aquariums, if only the low water temperature required for them is maintained in them and is not higher than 6°C. Golomyankas, along with the planktonic crustacean - macrohectopus, also eat their smaller brothers, that is, they eat their young.
566. What is the largest size of golomyanka?
The largest specimens are females of the Great Golomyanka up to 25 cm, males - up to 16 cm. Females and males of the Lesser Golomyanka are noticeably smaller in size: females up to 15 cm, males up to 12 cm.
567. When does golomyanka spawn?
Golomyanka gives birth to live larvae, unlike all other fish living in Baikal, which lay eggs in the lake or in its tributaries to breed. In the literal sense, the golomyanka does not spawn at all, that is, it does not lay eggs and does not have spawning migrations, as is typical for all other fish in Baikal. She gives birth to her offspring when the time comes and in the place where she lives at the moment. To give birth to offspring, female golomyankas rise to the surface of the lake. This is probably necessary so that the offspring have the opportunity to feed on the planktonic organisms living here (epishura, macrohectopus fry, etc.). The Great Golomyanka usually gives birth to its offspring in the fall, in September - October; small golomyanka - in the spring, after Lake Baikal is freed from ice. Large specimens of the large golomyanka give birth to up to 2.0-2.5 thousand pieces of larvae, the small golomyanka is almost 1.5 times smaller - up to 1.5 thousand pieces.
568. What is the difference between the birth of offspring in golomyankas compared to other viviparous fish?
Newborn larvae spend the first period of their life in the near-surface water horizons. According to some authors, golomyankas die during the birth of their offspring, while other viviparous fish (for example, freshwater gambusia, sea sharks) after the birth of their offspring remain alive and are capable of rebirth. A method of reproduction similar to that of the golomyanka is unknown in any aquatic organism in the world. It seems a mystery, how did it come about? And is it not because it is a kind of dead end in the evolution of these fish, they are not found anywhere else in the world and were able to appear and survive only in Baikal? The death of parents during reproduction also occurs in salmon fish (chum salmon, pink salmon, red salmon). But these fish lay eggs, they are not viviparous and by their death they help the survival of the offspring. The bodies of dead fish, gradually decomposing, enrich the water in the area where fry hatch from eggs with organic substances and nutrients necessary for the development of food organisms for young salmon. However, research in recent years (Zh. A. Chernyaev) shows that golomyankas do not always die at the birth of their offspring. After fertilization of females, males remain alive, or a small part of them die.
569. How long does the golomyanka live?
Golomyanka matures in the 2-3rd year of life, therefore, it could live up to 10-15 years. However, it has not yet been possible to meet such high-aged individuals. According to the observations of E.A. Koryakov (1964), the maximum age for females of the great golomyanka is 7 years, for males - 4 years.
570. Within what temperature limits does the golomyanka live?
The temperature limits in which Golomyankas have adapted to live lie between +0.3°, +1.5°C and +6°, +8 O C. Under these conditions, it completes its food migrations and its entire biological life cycle associated with the reproduction of offspring. It is more often found at depths from 150-200 to 500-750 m, where the temperature is almost constant throughout the year and ranges between +3.4 +3.6°C. Extracted from natural conditions, it dies (falls asleep) at a temperature of 12-14°C.
At the same time, its fry can live for some time in warmer water than needed for adult individuals - +12°, +14°C, and at night they exhibit insignificant light-taxis. Perhaps this is a reaction of golomyanka fry not to light, but to the concentration of food organisms attracted by light - epishura and macrohectopus fry. Corresponding experimental studies have not yet been carried out. We hope that the experiment can be carried out in aquariums under pressure up to 50-100 atm, which corresponds to the natural living conditions of the golomyanka at depths of up to 500-1000 m.
571. What does the golomyanka eat?
The fry feed on epishura, cyclops and juveniles of macrohectopus. Adult golomyankas consume mainly the crustacean Macrohectopus, as well as their own juveniles (cannibalism) and the juveniles of pelagic gobies - yellowfish and longwing. Own juveniles in the diet of golomyankas make up about 20%. During the year, golomyankas and pelagic gobies utilize up to 1 million tons of epishura.
572. Who eats golomyanka?
The seal consumes more than 40% of the annual production of golomyankas, or over 60 thousand tons. Some of the golomyankas are eaten by pelagic gobies and the golomyanka itself. In addition, a fairly large number of already dead females, after the birth of their offspring, are eaten by waterfowl and seagulls.
573. What is the biomass of all Golomyanok in Baikal?
Golomyanki are the most numerous fish in Lake Baikal. Their total weight is about 150 thousand tons, which is 67% of the biomass of all fish. The annual growth of the golomyanka is about 150 thousand tons, that is, during the year it seems to completely renew its entire population.
574. Where do juvenile golomyanka live?
It makes daily vertical migrations: at night it rises to the surface of the water for food organisms, and during the day it descends to a depth of 50-100 m, where food organisms also descend. At these depths, she may be hiding from daytime predators, including her older brothers, who do not miss the opportunity to feast on her.
575. How does the golomyanka balance its body weight in water?
Golomyankas have zero or even slightly negative buoyancy and balance their body weight due to the high fat content in the muscles and internal organs (the fat content in the large golomyanka reaches 43-44% of its weight, in the small golomyanka there is much less fat - up to 8-9 %). Two females of a large golomyanka with a total weight of 80 g are equivalent in caloric content to an omul weighing 340 g or a grayling weighing 500 g. The calorie content of a large golomyanka is 3 times greater than that of a sturgeon.
576. Why does the golomyanka retain visual pigment in its eyes?
The golomyanka spends most of its life at great depths, where light does not penetrate, and it would seem that it does not need eyes. But for quite a long time she also remains in the illuminated zone, where she obtains food for herself, hunting for planktonic organisms, and here she needs her eyes.
577. Why don’t fishermen catch golomyanka?
Golomyanka does not form fishing or spawning schools; it lives dispersed in the water column. It gets into the net in very small quantities - up to 100 g per 100 m 2 networks per day. It would be possible to catch golomyankas with a trawl, but this is also unprofitable - about 0.5 kg of fish are caught in one hour of trawling. Attempts were made to catch it by the light, but it did not attract it either. Therefore, the best way to utilize golomyanka is as food for seals and omul. It is easier and more profitable to obtain these animals, although, from the point of view of rational use of feed, this method is not the best, since at each trophic stage, 9/10 of the energy accumulated at the previous stage is lost.
When we hear the word “lake”, a picture appears in our imagination - a wonderful place to relax, where you can swim and fish. However, this is not always the case. Some lakes inspire fear and horror. And there are reasons for this.
Lake Pustoe (Russia)
Its location is the Kuznetsk Alatau region located in Western Siberia. Lake Pustoe is a fresh and environmentally friendly reservoir of continental origin, because it is completely free of chemicals. Many scientists have repeatedly conducted studies of water from the lake, which have never confirmed the presence of any toxic components in it.
The lake has clean water that is suitable for drinking and resembles champagne, as it is dominated by completely safe bubbles of natural gases. However, researchers were unable to determine the reason why there was no fish in the lake.
In the vicinity of Lake Pustogo there have never been environmental disasters or extraordinary technical incidents polluting the reservoir. The chemical composition of its water does not differ from the nearest reservoirs of the reserve, which are distinguished by an abundance of fish resources. Moreover, the reservoir feeds several fresh, clean reservoirs in the vicinity; the fact that there is fish in them will add special mystery to what is happening in these dreams.
There have been several attempts to introduce unpretentious fish species such as pike, perch and crucian carp into the reservoir. Each of them ended in failure, the fish died, the aquatic plants rotted. And today there is no grass or birds on the banks of the reservoir, there are no fish or fry in the water, the lake guards its mysteries.
Why are there no fish in the lake?
Samples from the Kuznetsk reservoir were studied by chemists from the USA, Great Britain and Germany. However, no one was able to put forward a sensible version explaining the lack of fish in the reservoir. Scientists are not yet able to answer the questions of ordinary people about what is happening to the Kuznetsk reservoir.
However, scientists repeat attempts to explain the extraordinary phenomenon of Empty Lake with enviable frequency. There are many people who want to visit the shores of the unusual lake; tourists come here and stay overnight. Some of them dream of touching the mystery of nature and unraveling it.
Lake of Death (Italy)
Our world is amazing and beautiful, its nature can be endlessly admired and enjoyed. But besides this, there are places on our Earth that sometimes lead us to bewilderment. Among such places is the Lake of Death on the island of Sicily. This lake can be classified as a phenomenon and unique natural phenomenon. The name itself suggests that this lake is deadly for all living things. Any living organism that gets into this lake will inevitably die.
This lake is the most dangerous on our planet. The lake is absolutely lifeless and there are no living organisms in it. The shores of the lake are deserted and lifeless; nothing grows here. Everything is connected with the fact that any living creature that enters the aquatic environment immediately dies. If a person decides to swim in this lake, he will literally dissolve in the lake in a few minutes.
When information about this place appeared in the scientific world, a scientific expedition was immediately sent there to study this phenomenon. The lake revealed its secrets with great difficulty. Water analyzes showed that the lake’s aquatic environment contains a large amount of concentrated sulfuric acid. Scientists were not immediately able to figure out where the sulfuric acid comes from in the lake. Scientists have put forward several hypotheses about this.
The first hypothesis stated that at the bottom of the lake there are rocks that, when washed away by water, become enriched with acid. But further study of the lake showed that at the bottom of the lake there are two sources that release concentrated sulfuric acid into the lake’s water environment. This explains why any organic matter dissolves in the lake.
Dead Lake (Kazakhstan)
There is an anomalous lake in Kazakhstan that attracts the attention of many people. It is located in the Taldykurgan region, the village of Gerasimovka. Its dimensions are not large, only 100x60 meters. This body of water is called Dead. The fact is that there is nothing in the lake, neither algae nor fish. The water there is unusually icy.
Low water temperatures remain even when there is intense sunshine outside. People drown there all the time. For some unknown reason, scuba divers begin to choke after three minutes of diving. Locals do not advise anyone to go there, and they themselves avoid this anomalous place.
Blue Lake (Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia)
Blue karst abyss in Kabardino-Balkaria. Not a single river or stream flows into this lake, although it loses up to 70 million liters of water every day, but its volume and depth do not change at all. The blue color of the lake is due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the water. There are no fish here at all.
What makes this lake creepy is the fact that no one has been able to figure out its depth. The fact is that the bottom consists of an extensive system of caves. Researchers have still not been able to figure out what the lowest point of this karst lake is. It is believed that under the Blue Lake is the largest system of underwater caves in the world.
Boiling Lake (Dominican Republic)
The name speaks for itself. Located in the beautiful Caribbean of Dominica, this lake is actually the second largest natural hot spring on earth. The temperature of the water in the boiling lake reaches 90 degrees Celsius and there is hardly anyone who wants to test the temperature of the source on their own skin. Just look at the photographs and it becomes clear that the water here is practically boiling. The temperature cannot be regulated because it is the result of a crack in the bottom of the lake through which hot lava erupts.
Lake Powell (USA)
Despite its common name (Horseshoe), located near the town of Mammoth Lakes, Lake Powell is a terrifying killer. The city of Mammoth Lakes was built on top of an active volcano, which is not the best location. However, for many years the lake was considered safe. But about 20 years ago, the trees around Horseshoe suddenly began to dry out and die.
After ruling out all possible diseases, scientists decided that the trees were being suffocated by excessive levels of carbon dioxide slowly seeping through the ground from underground chambers of cooling magma. In 2006, three tourists took refuge in a cave near the lake and suffocated from carbon dioxide.
Lake Karachay (Russia)
Located in Russia's beautiful Ural Mountains, this deep blue lake is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world. During a secret government project, the lake was used as a dump site for radioactive waste for many years beginning in 1951.
This place is so toxic that a 5-minute visit can make a person sick, and a longer visit of an hour is guaranteed to be fatal. During a drought in 1961, the wind carried toxic dust that affected 500,000 people - a tragedy comparable to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It is definitely one of the most polluted places on Earth.
Lake Kivu (Democratic Republic of Congo)
This lake lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, with large layers of carbon dioxide at the base of the volcanic rock, as well as 55 billion cubic meters of methane at the bottom. This explosive combination makes Lake Kivu the deadliest of the world's three explosive lakes. Any earthquake or volcanic activity could pose a lethal threat to the 2 million people living in this region. They can die from both methane explosions and carbon dioxide suffocation.
Lake Michigan (Canada)
Of the five Great Lakes on the border of Canada and the United States, Lake Michigan is the deadliest. The warm, attractive lake is a popular holiday destination for many tourists, despite its dangerous underwater currents, which claim at least several lives every year.
The shape of Lake Michigan makes it particularly susceptible to dangerous currents that arise spontaneously and abruptly. The lake becomes more dangerous in the fall, October and November, when sudden and significant changes in water and air temperatures occur. The height of the waves can reach several meters.
Mono Lake (USA)
One of the most developed ecosystems in the world, Mono Lake is located in the county of the same name in California. This ancient salt lake has no fish, but trillions of bacteria and small algae thrive in its unique waters. Until 1941 this strikingly beautiful lake was healthy and strong. But Los Angeles, which was just beginning its giant growth spurt, stepped in. The city drained the tributaries of the lake, which began to dry up.
This scandalous destruction of natural resources continued for almost 50 years and when it was stopped in 1990, Mono Lake had already lost half its volume and its salinity had doubled. Mono has become a toxic alkaline lake filled with carbonates, chlorides and sulfates. Los Angeles has decided to correct its mistake, but the restoration project will take decades.
Lake Manoun (Cameroon)
Located in the Oku Volcanic Field in Cameroon, Lake Monoun appears to be a completely normal body of water. But its appearance is deceiving, as it is one of three explosive lakes on earth. In 1984, Monun exploded without warning, releasing a cloud of carbon dioxide and killing 37 people. Twelve of the dead were riding in a truck and stopped to watch the aftermath of the explosion. It was at this moment that the lethal gas did its job.
Lake Nyos (Cameroon)
In 1986, Lake Nyos, located just 100 kilometers from Lake Monun, exploded following a magma eruption and released carbon dioxide, converting the water into carbonic acid. As a result of the massive landslide, the lake suddenly released a giant cloud of carbon dioxide, killing thousands of people and animals in local towns and villages. The tragedy was the first known major suffocation caused by a natural event. The lake continues to pose a threat because its natural wall is fragile and even the slightest earthquake can destroy it.
Natron (Tanzania)
Lake Natron in Tanzania not only kills its inhabitants, but also mummifies their bodies. On the shores of the lake there are mummified flamingos, small birds, and bats. The creepiest thing is that the victims freeze in natural poses with their heads raised. It was as if they froze for a moment and remained that way forever. The water in the lake is bright red due to the microorganisms living in it, closer to the shore it is already orange, and in some places it is a normal color.
The evaporation of the lake scares away large predators, and the absence of natural enemies attracts a huge number of birds and small animals. They live on the banks of the Natron, reproduce, and after death they are mummified. A large amount of hydrogen contained in water and increased alkalinity contribute to the release of soda, salt and lime. They prevent the remains of the inhabitants of the lake from decomposing.