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Flamingos in Lake Natron, Northern Tanzania

of 'Mother Earth' challenge

Located in Northern Tanzania, Lake Natron is the 'it' spot for Lesser Flamingos.
Although many plants and animals eschew the waters, which frequently reach the temperatures above 40° C and are so alkaline as to burn skin, it's paradise for flamingos, where the high salinity just means more food. Roughly 75% of the Lesser Flamingos are hatched at the lake, and tourists flock to see the incredible 'pink parade' that results when flamingos strut around doing there mating dance.

Reference: https://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/after-10-year-battle-tanzanias-flamingo-factory-safe

of 'Mother Earth' challenge

Cormorant fishing is a traditional method in which fishermen use trained cormorants to fish in rivers. Historically, cormorant fishing has taken place in Japan and China, as well as Greece, Macedonia, France and England.

Every year, thousands of tourists visit the Japanese city of Gifu to watch this type of fishing called 'ukai'. Each cormorant is first leashed around the neck and then released to dive into water. If the bird makes a catch, it's then scooped up, and the fisher pulls the fish from the bird's mouth. The tie around the cormorant's neck ensures that the biggest fish don't get swallowed, but allows the bird to swallow small fish. Actor Charlie Chaplin once described cormorant fishing as 'Japan's highest art form'.

Ukai fishers defend their treatment of the birds, comparing tethering the cormorants to tying dogs to leashes. This method of fishing, however, does provoke questions regarding welfare of the birds. Matsuo Basho, a 17th century Japanese poet, seems to express sympathy for the birds in this Haiku:

Delightful, and yet
Presently how saddening,
The cormorant boats.

Resource:
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/ukai-comorant-fishing-japan-news
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant-fishing


@ London, United Kingdom