Extremophile Halobacteria Turns Water Very Pink At Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge have been monitoring the pink water on site since October 30, and have been working with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Aquatic Resources and Department of Health to identify what is causing it and to determine a course of action.

Water samples were taken and sent to the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) for analysis. Preliminary analysis suggests:

It is not likely a toxic algae, for example – the type that produces red tides. It appears to be a single-celled organism called halobacteria. Halobacteria are salt-loving organisms found in high salinity water bodies. The salinity in the Keālia Pond outlet is currently greater than 70 part per thousand, or twice the salinity of seawater. It is this high salinity water in the outlet that is providing favorable conditions for the halobacteria, producing the pink color. UH is doing more analyses to determine the exact strain of the halobacteria. We will be continuing to gather information and will keep the public informed.

As a precautionary measure, we recommend that people keep a safe distance and not enter the water, don’t consume any fish from the water, and ensure that pets don’t drink the water.

Halophytes, Wikipedia

Astrobiology