From monsters to mysteries, you’ll love these fascinating facts about the Great Salt Lake.
1. There have been monster sightings.
Utah has its own version of the Loch Ness Monster. In the 1840s, a man saw a creature in the water with a “dolphin-like” body. Then, in 1877, a group of men encountered a creature that made a “fearsome bellowing noise.” It had a crocodile-like body and the head of a horse and became known as the North Shore Monster.
2. It once served as a prison.
In 1862, grave robber Jean Baptiste was exiled to Freemont Island for his crimes. However, his banishment was short lived. Within two months, he disappeared and was never seen again.
3. It is known as “America’s Dead Sea.”
The Great Salt Lake is the largest salt lake in the western hemisphere. Its salinity is around 27%. For comparison, the salinity of the Dead Sea is 33%, and the salinity of the oceans is about 3.5%.
4. A flamingo lived there for years.
In 1987, a flamingo named Pink Floyd escaped Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City. He made his home at the Great Salt Lake, eating brine shrimp and socializing with other species of birds. He was last seen migrating in Idaho in 2005.
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