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Bolivia's Laguna Colorada is renowned for its colorful, algae-rich waters, which, when viewed from space, appear to flow across a bright white, salty bottom. | Source: NASA/ISS program
QUICK FACTS
Where is it located? Laguna Colorada, Altiplano, Bolivia [-22.19489413, -67.77420764]
What is shown in the photograph? The rusty-colored water appears to be spreading across the salt layer.
Who took this photo? An unnamed astronaut aboard the International Space Station.
When was the photo taken? April 16, 2015.
This stunning satellite image shows rusty orange water spilling across the white, salty bottom of a high-altitude lagoon in Bolivia.
Laguna Colorada (Spanish for "Red Lagoon") is a hypersaline, or extremely salty, lake on Bolivia's Altiplano, the second-highest plateau in the world, stretching across the Andes. It is located at an altitude of approximately 4,300 meters above sea level.
The lagoon was once much larger, as evidenced by the stripes of ancient shoreline visible along its right edge. As it dried, an uneven layer of borax salt (sodium tetraborate) formed. These salt crystals often rise above the water level, forming bright white islands and causing a "bleeding" effect when viewed from above.
The reddish tint of the water is due to the presence of algae, mainly Dunaliella salina . This salt-loving species is rich in red pigments known as carotenoids, and it is responsible for the similar reddish tint of waters around the world.
The lake is often much redder. However, according to NASA's Earth Observatory, the water's hue varies depending on its temperature and salinity, which determine the growth of various types of algae. During certain periods of the year, the water takes on a greenish tint.
The lagoon area is home to a variety of animals, including llamas. | Photo: Getty Images
Since 1990, Laguna Colorada has been listed as a "wetland of international importance" under the Ramsar Convention. Its surroundings are home to a variety of animals, including mountain cats, foxes, and llamas. However, its most famous inhabitants are the flamingos.
At least three species of bright pink birds - the Andean flamingo ( Phoenicoparrus andinus ), Chilean flamingo ( Phoenicopterus chilensis ) and James's flamingo ( Phoenicoparrus jamesi ) are often found in the lagoon and get their vibrant coloring from feeding on algae rich in carotenoids. (Flamingos are born gray; their characteristic hue is due to their diet.)
The lagoon is sometimes compared to Lake Natron in Tanzania, whose waters are often blood-red and home to 2.5 million of these pink birds – the world's largest flamingo colony.
The lagoon is home to at least three different species of flamingos, which get their vibrant pink hue from the algae in its waters. | Source: Havardtl/Wikimedia
Laguna Colorada Lake is located between two volcanoes, which are just above and below the field of view of this photograph.
There are several other picturesque salt lakes nearby, including Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) and Laguna Blanca (White Lagoon), located next to each other about 65 kilometers south of Laguna Colorada.
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