Don’t Touch That Water!

There, Their, or They’re?

There refers to a place, as in Your shoes are over there. There can also refer to the existence of something, as in There is a concert in the park. 

Their shows belonging, as in The dogs played with their new toys. 

They’re is a contraction of “they are,” as in They’re eating lunch.

Millions of flamingos crowd the shores of Lake Natron. They high-step through the shallow water on there/their/they’re spindly, bubble gum-pink legs. Beyond them, a towering volcano is reflected in the lake’s glassy waters. 

Lake Natron, in the country of Tanzania, is a spectacular sight. Just don’t get too close. There/Their/They’re is great danger here. 

The volcano overlooking Lake Natron has been belching out lava for thousands of years. The lava is unusually high in salt and other minerals. Over time, the salt and minerals get deposited into the lake. 

As a result, the lake’s waters are toxic. One sip can be deadly. Even some of the algae that grows there/their/they’re is poisonous to many animals. What’s more, the water temperature can rise to a scalding 140 degrees.

Not surprisingly, few creatures make their home in Lake Natron. But every few years, millions of birds called lesser flamingos come to the lake to lay there/their/they’re eggs. 

How do the birds survive? There/Their/They’re adapted to the harsh environment. The tough skin on there/their/they’re legs keeps them from getting burned. They can eat the poisonous algae without getting sick. They even have special glands in there/their/they’re heads that filter out salt so they can drink the water.