The Creatures of Lake Baikal
In The Creatures of Lake Baikal, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us below the frigid waters of the 400-mile-long lake. Swim with the planet’s only fresh-water seal and the unusual giant amphipod. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Lesson Express
Q: Describe Lake Baikal.
A: It is located in Siberia; it is 400 miles long and over a mile deep; it contains one-fifth of the planet’s fresh water; it is covered in 3.3. feet (1 meter) of ice for five months of the year; it’s the oldest lake in the world.
Q: What factors might have contributed to Lake Baikal having such unique animal life?
A: Student responses will vary. Students may suggest that the harsh conditions forced animals to adapt in unique ways or that the solid ice most of the year prevents animals from traveling via waterways.
Q: What might happen to dead animals in Lake Baikal if there were no amphipods?
A: Student responses will vary. Students may say that without bacteria to decompose dead animals, they would accumulate and pollute the lake.