The bright pink color of a pond in Hawaii has caused concern among nearby residents. The coastal salt marsh at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge has turned bright pink due to a severe drought, which has caused water levels to decrease and the salinity to become twice as high as the ocean.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service suggests that the abundance of salt in the area likely created favorable conditions for halobacteria, a type of single-celled organism that produces the pink color. The transformation of this place into a vibrant fantasy world has raised concerns among environmental scientists about its impact on the local ecosystem.
Maui is currently facing a severe drought, with a large portion of the island experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions according to the US Drought Monitor. Scientists believe that the situation will worsen as global temperatures increase due to climate change, which can even affect places like Hawaii with its coastal and rainforest environments.
The University of Hawaii is currently investigating the situation and trying to identify the specific type of halobacteria. These organisms are not toxic and are known to thrive in areas with high salinity, such as the Great Salt Lake and the Dead Sea.
Reference- CNN, Associated Press, The New York Times, Futurism
