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Satellite imagery of a located in the Egyptian desert asÌý"Photo of the Day"Ìýon Monday by the NASA's Earth ObservatoryÌýto markÌýValentine's Day 2022.

The heart-shaped feature was first spotted in May 2021 from space. On Earth, the spot is known as , a 1,200 square kilometres wetland filled with water,Ìývegetation and rare fossils.

Located , the oasis is thought to have sustained life for over 8,000 years. It's main water body, Lake Qarun (also known asÌýLake Moeris), was historically fed by water overflowingÌýseasonally from the nearby Nile river.Ìý

Egyptian pharaohsÌýencouraged this phenomenon through ambitious engineering projects to expand the waterways between the river and Faiyum, but this did not prevent the lake from eventually shrinking significantly.Ìý

The lake and immediate surroundings are a protected area since the nineties, and the site was recognised as a Ramsar site - a wetlandÌýof international importance - since 2012.

Despite these protection measures, thisÌýunique environmental jewel is under stress.

The Egyptian government has to take action to address environmental threats to the oasis, including pollution, increasing water salinity and the flow of sewage water and agricultural wastewater into Lake Qarun.

At the end of January, Egypt announced it hadÌý"spent billions" on cleaning polluted lakes where decliningÌýfish numbers have severely impacted fish farming.

The declaration followed the publication of a study by theÌýEgyptian Journal of Aquatic Life and Fisheries, which said Egypt's fish production had fallen sharply due to pollution, overfishing and habitat degradation.

Among the affected waterwaysÌýwas LakeÌýQarun, whereÌýlocal fishermen that the water for fish to survive.