Lake Turkana - African Great Lake

Lake Turkana(/tɜːrˈkɑːnə/ or/tɜːrˈkænə/), formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in theKenyan Rift Valley, in northernKenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia.^[2]It is the world's largest permanentdesert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. By volume it is the world's fourth-largest salt lake^{[citation needed]} after the Caspian Sea, Issyk-Kul, and Lake Van (passing the shrinking South Aral Sea), and among all lakes it ranks 24th. The water is potable, but not palatable. It supports a richlacustrine wildlife. The climate is hot and very dry.

The rocks of the surrounding area are predominantly volcanic. Central Island is an active volcano, emitting vapour. Outcrops and rocky shores are found on the east and south shores of the lake, while dunes, spits and flats are on the west and north, at a lower elevation. On-shore and off-shore winds can be extremely strong, as the lake warms and cools more slowly than the land. Sudden, violent storms are frequent. Three rivers (the Omo, Turkwel and Kerio) flow into the lake, but lacking outflow, its only water loss is by evaporation. Lake volume and dimensions are variable. For example, its level fell by 10 metres between 1975 and 1993. Due to temperature, aridity and geographic inaccessibility, the lake retains its wild character.Nile crocodiles are found in great abundance on the flats. The rocky shores are home toscorpions and carpet vipers.In the Lake Turkana area an abundance of hominid fossils was discovered.

Volcano crater

  

Vegetation around the lake

Hut made of grass on the lake shore

Animal gather lake shore in the twilight

Windmill on lake side

Thousands of Pelicans

  

Picture Source: Collected from Internet