Does Anything Live in the Dead Sea?

Arian Zwegers/CC-BY-2.0

The Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea, is the saltiest body of water on Earth and only supports the life of bacteria and other simple life forms. The Dead Sea cannot support many life forms common in other large bodies of water.

The Dead Sea has no fish or other such aquatic life living in its waters. However, the Dead Sea is capable of supporting several forms of bacteria and one type of algae. These organisms have adapted to thrive in the highly saline water. While the Dead Sea would kill most forms of life, the water is not harmful to humans. Many people routinely soak in the sea due to the perceived healing properties of the Dead Sea’s mineral-rich water.