Blood Red Lake in Southern France

Sinister red water stretches as far as the eye can see in Camargue, France.

Lake in southern France turns blood red

By Scott Sutherland

Seeing images of lakes turning blood red like this one in Camargue, France, can be a bit scary — especially if you have any nagging worries about 2012 actually being the year the world will end.

There’s no need to worry, though. It happens every year, and it’s completely natural.

Top Photo: Sinister red water stretches as far as the eye can see in Camargue, France.

“This phenomenon is a result of the salt content in brine shrimp Artemia salina and algae Dunaliella salina. When the salt concentration is very high — which is the case before harvest — the brine shrimp die and saline algae proliferates giving this unusual colour,” said Patricia Estebe of Camargue’s tourist office.

The Camargue (pronounced ka-marg) is a wetland region along the French Mediterranean Coast known for the naturally-high salt content in the water, and for the most voracious mosquitoes in all of France.

Article continues:  http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/lake-southern-france-turns-blood-red-144739726.html

(Photo courtesy China News)

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