Etosha National Park is known for its incredible biodiversity and also for having the largest salt pan in Africa. A salt pan is a flat expanse of ground covered in salt and other minerals, and it forms naturally (usually in deserts). There is so much salt on the ground that it shines in the sunlight, and the salt pan is so large in size (around 130 km by 50 km in some parts) that it can be seen from outerspace (Etoshanationalpark.org).
But aside from looking pretty in the sun, why is Etosha's salt pan so cool? According to the UNESCO World Heritage Center, the salt pan in itself dates back to Pliocene (millions of years ago). It formed when tectonic plate movements shifted the course of rivers that used to feed the lake (which occupied the space where the salt pan now is). As a result of the redirection of these rivers, the water flow to the lake was cut off and it dried out, leaving behind a large salt pan.
Aside from being large, Etosha's salt pan is extreme in a few other ways: during the day, temperatures on the salt pan get very hot, it has a high salt content (no surprises there), and high pH values (8.8 to 10.2). Given these harsh conditions, not much life flourishes right in the salt pan (with the exception of extremophiles and the occasional ostrich) (UNESCO). But much in part to Namibia's conservation efforts, it has remained relatively undisturbed and serves as a record of the past. It also makes for an amazing view; the pristine salt pan and wide range of fauna thriving near its edges.
-EM
References
No comments:
Post a Comment