Maharloo Salt Lake, The second largest lake in Fars province

Sayah Gahromi, Leila; Hatami, Ahmad; Emadi, Abedin

doi:10.22092/irn.2025.132871

Maharloo Salt Lake, The second largest lake in Fars province

Document Type : Over looking Iranian Nature

Authors

¹ Researcher, Natural Resources Research Department, Fars Province Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Shiraz, Iran

² Faculty Member, Natural Resources Research Department, Fars Province Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Shiraz, Iran

10.22092/irn.2025.132871

Abstract

Maharloo Lake is located 10 kilometers southeast of Shiraz. The average area of this lake is 25,000 hectares, and the water is very salty. This lake is one of the unique natural habitats of Fars province and the country, and it is of great value to people as a recreational place due to its moderate climate and natural attractions. This lake is known as the Pink Lake due to certain types of algae in it. The habitat conditions in this lake have led to its being introduced as one of the important bird habitats in the country despite being classified as a non-permanent lake. Maharloo is home to 65 species of migratory birds, 12 species of fish, two species of amphibians, three species of reptiles, two species of zooplankton, one species of phytoplankton and two species of halophyte bacteria, along with 41 plant species in the lake. High evaporation and transpiration, especially in summer, as well as reduced rainfall and drought in recent years, have caused the lake's water level to decrease and the concentration of salts and other pollutants to reach a maximum. In this work, we aim to introduce Maharloo Lake to the public, the scientific community, and the country's executive authorities and explain its ecological importance.

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