Why Lake Baikal?

When speaking of Lake Baikal, this precious natural treasure, it is impossible to do without superlatives. It is the oldest lake in the world, the deepest and the cleanest one: the transparence of its waters is for more than 40 m (131 ft)! Lake Baikal is also “number one” for the number of species of animals and plants, those that can be met nowhere else on earth.

But be in no haste to call it lake! The Baikal is a sea for those who populate its shores and feed on it. For shamans the Baïkal is a sacred sea – and even more: energy centre of the planet. For us, Siberians, it is a natural paradise, rich in exceptional flora and fauna. Turki who lived here once called the Baikal “Bay-kul”, which means “rich lake”. And that is true! Here all climate zones blend together harmoniously making it home for about 3000 species of animals and plants, three-fourths of which are endemic.

Lake Baikal is enormous compared to other big lakes in the world. Its water volume represents 20% of all unfrozen freshwater on Earth! The Baikal holds as much water as North America’s five Great Lakes combined, and as much as the Baltic Sea. It would take the Angara River, the only one outflow, 400 years to empty it totally if no drop of water fed the lake during that time... If it was necessary to fill the Baikal depression with the water from all world’s river flows, this process would take 300 days. And finally, if all the lake water was frozen and divided into ice blocs of 1 km³ (0,2 mi³) all these blocs were placed into a line, this ice belt would spread from the North Pole to the South Pole and even 3000 km (1860 mi) longer!