Tourists issued warning after popular pond turns bright pink and sparks disturbing theory
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It was only a few months ago that everything was going pink to celebrate the release of Barbie.
Now a pond in Hawaii has adopted the bright colour too.
But as tourists flock to see the unusual sight, officials are worried about what caused the colour shift.
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As images of the pink pond made its way onto social media, volunteers at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge were left stunned.
Some had been around the Maui spot for 70 years and claim to have seen nothing like it before.
Bret Wolfe, the refuge manager, said he was first alerted by someone walking along the beach: "There's something weird going on over here."
Although the water has drawn a lot of attention from locals, there is concern about what caused the water's colour to change.
The island of Maui has been experiencing a drought which could be the culprit.
Toxic algae was first considered to be the cause, but lab tests found this wasn't the case.
An organism called halobacteria had been pinpointed as a more likely suspect.
Halobacteria are a type of single-bodied organism that thrive in bodies of water with high levels of salt.
There is currently twice as much salt in the Kealia Pond as there is in seawater.
However, Mr Wolfe has said the pond has previously experienced drought and high levels of salt before.
Yet this is the first time that it's ever turned pink.
Further DNA analysis will be required to confirm the root of this transformation.
For the time being, visitors have been warned not to enter the water while the investigation continues.
One visitor shared some snaps of the pond to Twitter, expressing his surprise.
Clint Henderson wrote: "Check out the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui. It’s pink!
"Scientists aren’t sure, but thinking it’s related to a bacteria that likes salt. Water is extra salty now due to drought."
How long the pond will stay pink remains to be seen, but I wouldn't bank on seeing it next time you're there.
But if you're looking for Hawaii a little closer to Britain, look no further than Madeira.
This Portuguese island sits off the coast of Morocco and has something for everyone.
Whether you like your holiday to be active and involve mountain trekking and hiking, or whether you just prefer lounging about and enjoying a relaxing time.
Madeira is a volcanic island that is home to sweet wine – the one that bears its name – and the famous Cristiano Ronaldo, who you can see a statue of at the airport.
It's dubbed the 'Hawaii of Europe' - and you wouldn't even leave the UK timezone.
Sounds like a good deal, right?
