Larnaca Salt Lake (, ) is a complex network of four
salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). I ...
s (3 of them interconnected) of different sizes to the west of the city of
Larnaca
Larnaca, also spelled Larnaka, is a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. With a district population of 155.000 in 2021, it is the third largest city in the country after Nicosi ...
. The largest is lake ''Aliki'', followed by lake ''Orphani'', lake ''Soros'' and lake ''Spiro''. They form the second largest
salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). I ...
in
Cyprus
Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
after the Limassol Salt Lake. The total surface area of the lakes adds up to 2.2 km2 and being just off the road leading to Larnaca International Airport, the lake is one of the most distinctive landmarks of the area. It is considered one of the most important wetlands of Cyprus and it has been declared a Ramsar site,
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...
site, Special Protected Area under the
Barcelona Convention
The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean, originally the Convention for Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution,halophytic scrubland and on its bank lies the Hala Sultan Tekke, one of the holiest of shrines within Ottoman
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
's 'wet-nurse'.
Besides its picturesque beauty, the lake is the haunt of 85 species of water-birds with estimated populations between 20,000 and 38,000. It is one of the important migratory passages through Cyprus. Among the species are 2,000–12,000 flamingoes (Phoenicopterus roseus) which spend the winter months there feeding off populations of the
brine shrimp
''Artemia'' is a genus of aquatic crustaceans also known as brine shrimp or ''Sea-Monkeys, sea monkeys''. It is the only genus in the Family (biology), family Artemiidae. The first historical record of the existence of ''Artemia'' dates back to t ...
Burhinus oedicnemus
The Eurasian stone-curlew, Eurasian thick-knee, or simply stone-curlew (''Burhinus oedicnemus'') is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family.
Taxonomy
The Eurasian stone-curlew was Species description, formally described ...
Sylvia melanothorax
Sylvia may refer to:
People
*Sylvia (given name)
* Sylvia (singer), American country music and country pop singer and songwriter
* Sylvia Robinson, American singer, record producer, and record label executive
* Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer c ...
''. Flocks of birdwatchers gather to observe the blaze of pink from flamingoes as they gather in the centre of the lake but also the other important migrants. The Larnaca Salt Lake complex was declared as a protected area by a decision of the Council of Ministers in 1997.
Recent evidence suggests that contrary to previous belief the greater flamingo (''Phoenicopterus roseus'') not only stops over but also breeds on this wetland.
During the winter months the lake fills with water while in the summer the water evaporates, leaving a crust of salt and a haze of grey dust. According to legend, the lake's saltiness stems from St Lazarus' request to an old woman for food and drink. She refused, claiming her vines had dried up, to which Lazarus replied: "may your vines be dry and be a salt lake forever more." A more scientific explanation is that the salt water penetrates the porous rock between the lake and the sea, making the water very salty.
Salt harvested from this lake used to be one of the island's major exports, being collected with donkeys, carried to the edge of the lake, and piled up into huge pyramidal heaps. With rising labour costs harvesting dwindled to a negligible amount and stopped altogether in 1986 as the island now imports most of this commodity.
Gallery
File:Larnaca 01-2017 img32 Salt Lake.jpg, Flamingos on the lake
File:LarnacaSaltLake.jpg, Aerial photo of the Larnaca Salt Lake (in winter) with Hala Sultan Tekke