[ti:Body of Water in Hawaii Mysteriously Turns Bright Pink]
[al:As It Is]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2023-11-14]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]A small body of water in Hawaii has turned such a bright pink it could have been used as a set for the movie Barbie. 
[00:12.65]But the unusual color-changing event has some experts concerned.
[00:20.51]Scientists say extreme dry weather, or drought, may be the reason for the color.
[00:29.52]For now, they are warning people not to enter the body of water, called a pond, and not drink from it.
[00:41.21]Workers at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on the island of Maui have been watching the pink water since October 30.
[00:55.28]"I just got a report from somebody that was walking on the beach, and they called me up like, 'There's something weird going on over here,'" said Bret Wolfe, who leads the refuge.
[01:11.47]Wolfe was concerned the bright pink could be a sign of an event called an algae bloom. 
[01:18.92]An algae bloom happens when simple plants called algae grow out of control and cause harmful effects on humans and animals.
[01:31.64]But lab tests found harmful algae was not causing the color. So investigators started looking at an organism called halobacteria as a possible cause.
[01:48.63]Halobacteria are a kind of single-celled organism that do well in bodies of water with high levels of salt. 
[01:59.25]The amount of salt inside the Kealia Pond area is currently greater than 70 parts per thousand, which is twice the amount of salt in seawater.
[02:14.17]Wolfe said the lab will need to perform DNA research in an effort to identify the organism.
[02:23.71]Researchers feel that Maui's drought is likely adding to the situation. 
[02:31.30]Normally, another body of water called Waikapu Stream feeds into the pond and raises water levels there. 
[02:42.21]But Wolfe said that has not happened in a long time.
[02:47.01]When it rains, water flows from Waikapu Stream into the pond and then into the wider area that is now pink. 
[02:59.46]This reduces the amount of salt and could possibly change the water's color.
[03:06.54]"That might be what makes it go away," Wolfe said.
[03:11.06]None of the workers, or even some volunteers who have been around for 70 years, have seen the pond this color before.
[03:21.81]It has been through periods of drought and has had high amounts of salt before. 
[03:29.91]But Wolfe is not sure why the color has changed now.
[03:35.89]Visitors have come to the area after photos of the pink pond appeared on social media.
[03:44.25]Wolfe said he would love to have visitors come to learn about local aims to protect nature. 
[03:53.40]He joked, "But no, they're here to see the pink water."
[03:59.41]He understands everyone's interest. 
[04:02.87]"If that's what gets them there, it's OK," he said.
[04:07.95]The wildlife area is a wetland that protects endangered birds like the Hawaiian stilt and the Hawaiian coot. 
[04:17.73]It also protects birds that are traveling to warmer areas in the winter.
[04:25.40]The water does not appear to be harming the birds, Wolfe said.
[04:30.92]As a protected area, people are not supposed to enter the pond or let their animals in the water.
[04:39.78]But officials have issued a special warning for people not to enter the water or eat any fish caught there.
[04:49.57]I'm Gregory Stachel.