Lake Retba’s Pink Color Comes From Algae

Lake Retba glows pink from algae.

Lake Retba lies 35 kilometers northeast of Dakar.

Dunaliella salina algae produce red pigment to absorb sunlight.

The pigment helps algae make energy using sunlight.

Pink color is strongest during the dry season months.

Salt content reaches up to 40 percent in some areas.

High salt content helps people float easily on the lake.

About 3,000 salt miners work six to seven hours daily.

Miners protect their skin with shea butter from nuts.

About 38,000 tonnes of salt are harvested every year.

Salt is used to preserve fish in Senegal’s national dish.

Flooding in 2022 made the pink lake water turn green.

Floods destroyed salt mounds and hurt local businesses.

By 2025, Lake Retba regained some of its pink color.

Lake Retba’s pink color comes from unique algae.