World's Oldest Lake - Lake Baikal

Deep within southern Siberia is the world’s oldest lake, on this episode we uncover the mystery of Lake Baikal.

A couple hundred miles or km north of Mongolia Lake Baikal is not only the world’s oldest lake but the world’s deepest by volume at 5387 feet or 1641 meters deep. This lake contains 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater and contains 27 islands most of which are uninhabited. Called the Galapagos of Russia, Lake Baikal has 300 rivers flowing into it but only 1 river, the Angara, that flows out of it. The lake was created by the earth’s crust pulling apart, also known as a rift valley.

Dating back to its creation over 25 million years ago Lake Baikal measures 49 miles or 79 km wide by 395 miles or 636 km long. There is over 1304 miles or 2100 km of coastline which is frozen much of the year. You have probably seen photos of this lake before, popular images of frozen bubbles and it’s iced over surface have been shared across the globe. The average temperature around the lake in winter is -2.2 degrees fahrenheit or -19 degrees celsius. Summer time is a more enjoyable 57 degrees or 14 celsius. Standing on the lake looking down, it is so clear one can see down 131 feet or 40 meters.

Lake Baikal isn’t always covered in ice, many species especially 2500 different species of animals and 1000 plants can be found in and around the lake. More than half of the species found among this lake aren’t found anywhere else. 150 snail species, 18 sponges, 13 leeches, and 350 amphipod all call this place home. Only 60 species of fish live in the lake with ½ being native to the lake. Lake Baikal has a 4 mile or 6.4 km thick layer of sediment which provides the unique environment for many of the unusual species of waterlife and plants. A unique freshwater species of seal called nerpa resides in Lake Baikal. Also called Baikal seals this species is the only true one with other ones being like the ringed seal, Ladoga seal and Saimaa ringed seal being subspecies of saltwater seals.

It’s not just wildlife that will be found around the lake, Buryat tribes live on the east side of Lake Baikal. They sustain themselves through the cold Siberian winters by raising cattle, goats, camels and sheep. If that isn’t bizarre enough UFO sightings are said to be common around the lake. For decades people have reported seeing UFOs and these sightings not only in the past but are reported regularly to this day. Added as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1996, Lake Baikal is full adventure, wonder and life for those looking for a destination not experienced by most.

Do you think you could survive a cold siberian winter among the tribes people that live there? Do you want to visit this place to see it’s unique and natural beauty? Let us know in the comments down below.

Music: Blue Wednesday
https://soundcloud.com/bluewednesday

Footage:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8603336@N05/31410034680
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6hORecqG4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kUGWc2P4LE

Check out some of our other videos:

Top 10 Fruits You’ve Never Heard Of Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRdgPyZF45g&feature=youtu.be
Top 10 Fruits You’ve Never Heard Of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKTej1u-7-0&feature=youtu.be

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Intro music thanks to Machinmasound:
Rallying the Defense:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruPk4RD19Nw

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