A pond at a Maui wildlife sanctuary has turned bright pink, drawing curious onlookers to catch a glimpse of the otherworldly scene and prompting warnings from federal wildlife officials to keep a safe distance.
The US Fish & Wildlife Service said it had been monitoring the extraordinary transformation since Oct. 30. and has been working with the Department of Aquatic Resources and the Hawaii State Department of Health to determine potential causes and actions.
Preliminary analysis of water samples conducted by the University of Hawaii (UH) suggested the pink color of the water “is unlikely to be toxic algae” such as those producing the dangerous red tides. However, the USFWS advises the public to avoid contact with the pond until further analysis can be completed.
“As a precaution, we recommend that people keep a safe distance and do not enter the water, do not eat any fish from the water, and ensure that pets do not drink the water.”
For now, the USFWS attributes the Pepto Bismol-like color of the water at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge to single-celled organisms called halobacteria, which thrive in highly saline waters.
Wildlife officials say the pond’s current salinity level is more than 70 parts per thousand, twice that found in seawater, which creates favorable conditions for bacteria.
UH is working to determine the exact type of halobacteria, which the USFWS says it will notify the public about.
A pond at a wildlife sanctuary in Maui has turned bright pink.Sue LaChapelle/LOCAL NEWS X /TMX
The color is attributed to organisms called halobacteria.
Keālia Ponds National Wildlife Refuge is a coastal salt marsh that hugs the south central coast of Maui. Freshwater ponds typically take up about 400 acres during the winter rains, shrinking to about half their size during the spring and summer.
Keālia Pond was designated as a wildlife refuge in 1953 and became part of the National Wildlife Refuge System in 1992.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
