Large algae bloom turns Turkish lake blood red
Digital Reporter
Wednesday, July 22, 2015, 6:00 PM - A massive algae bloom has turned Turkey's Tuz Gola lake blood red, ABC News reports.
The popular salt lake has turned red courtesy of a large bloom of Dunaliella salinas algae.
This type of algae is predominantly found in sea salt. While officials don't recommend drinking the affected water, Dunaliella salinas algae is used in some cosmetics and supplements for its high antioxidant properties.
Tuz Gola is the second-largest lake in the country and officials say it is evaporating because of the summer heat.
"Because the lake is losing water, the salinity is getting higher and higher, which kills off a lot of the plankton that normally eat this red algae," Stony Brook University marine ecology research professor Dr. Christopher Gobler told ABC News.
"So now, the algae is thriving and will probably red until the lake fully evaporates, probably next month during the peak of summer heat."
Tuz Gola was granted special environmental protection by the United Nations in 2013 because it is home to a plethora of unique animals and organisms, including an endangered species of flamingo.
In 2014, eastern China made headlines when the water in the Xinmeizhou village river turned bright red.
Officials linked that occurrence to the illegal dumping of artificial colouring.
IN PHOTOS: TURKISH LAKE TURNS BLOOD RED:
RELATED VIDEO: TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM ON LAKE ERIE, AUGUST 2014:
