Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes Animals

While the high concentration of dissolved salts in permanent saline, brackish, or alkaline lakes limits the wildlife that are attracted to these areas, the animals and plants found there are plentiful and undoubtedly unique. These special bodies of water are interesting in both their appearance of water and surrounding flats and also the animals that call them home.

A trip to Kenya will most likely take visitors to one of its variety of saline lakes. Lake Nakuru looks like a sea of pink due to it's large population of flamingos, who of course get their color from the thriving brine shrimp. Lake Turkana, formerly Lake Rudolf, located in Northeastern Kenya is the world's largest permanent desert lake and is home to crocodiles, vipers and scorpions.

Visiting India may take explorers to Chilika Lake. Playful Irrawaddy dolphins call these brackish waters home. This ecosystem supports more than 225 fish species and October is the season when many migratory birds pass through.

Found on six continents and providing refuge for a large variety of animals, permanent saline, brackish, and alkaline lakes are both unique and necessary niches in earth's delicate balance of ecosystems.

Carnivores

African clawless otter
Cameroon clawless otter
North american otter
La plata otter
Huillin
Common otter
Speckle-throated otter
Hairy-nosed otter
Indian smooth-coated otter

Dolphins, porpoises, and whales

Irrawaddy dolphin

Dugongs, manatees, and sea cows

African manatee


Read more at the list of biomes of the world...