Lake Baikal's healthy waters give off a turquoise gem-like color when it freezes into ice, making it a sight to behold. Every year, the annual Baikal Ice Marathon is held on its rock-hard surface, where runners from around the globe come to participate in one of the world's most extreme tests of endurance. In fact, the ice bed can become so thick that vehicles have no issues driving on it. This protective layer blankets the lake for five months out of the year beginning in January. What Makes The Ice So Turquoise?īeautiful though the water of Lake Baikal is, it is incredibly difficult to reach as it is covered by an ice sheet that can measure more than 80 inches thick. Countless fossils have been uncovered at Lake Baikal, from ancient sponges to land mammals that roamed the Earth a long time ago. By examining pollen trapped inside the lake's sediment, scientists have been able to discover the types of plants that lived on Earth over 10,000 years ago. This abundance of oxygen also helps wildlife flourish.īecause of its age and biodiversity, Lake Baikal has been useful to scientists studying ancient flora and fauna. Hydrothermal vents, however, are typically found under the ocean - which makes Lake Baikal one of the only lakes in the world with this natural feature.įurthermore, the lake also boasts high-levels of oxygen, which helps microorganisms to filter the water and keep it pristine.
Scientists in part owe the lake's thriving marine life to the hydrothermal vents inside it that bring rich minerals from deep inside the Earth.
And yet, an estimated 100,000 Nerpa seals call Lake Baikal home.
Scientists are bewildered by this species considering the fact that the lake is landlocked and located miles away from the ocean. Surrounded by thick, mountainous, subarctic forests, Lake Baikal is so biodiverse that it has been referred to as "the Galapagos of Russia." Out of the 2,000 species of flora and fauna that inhabit Baikal, almost half of them are endemic to the lake.Īmong them is the adorable Nerpa or Baikal seal, the only exclusively fresh water seal species in the world. Getty Images Frozen bubbles on the lake, which is famous for its underwater hydrothermal vents.
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