Every winter, hundreds of better and lesser flamingos fly into Mumbai, forming a sea of pink in opposition to a backdrop of skyscrapers, bridges and oil refineries alongside the 26-km-long Thane Creek, the DPS lake in Nerul and Sewri.
These migratory birds usually fly from Kutch in Gujarat and the Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan to Mumbai throughout winter round mid-November, however as a consequence of extended rain and different local weather components, their arrivals can been delayed. And after they do come, they’re right here until May, or generally, even until the beginning of the monsoon in mid-June in Mumbai.
Last yr, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) carried out a survey wherein roughly 1,33,000 flamingos had been noticed throughout the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, Sewri, Nhava and adjoining zones.
Flamingos feed on the algae that dwell within the mudflats at Navi Mumbai, Airoli and Thane Creek, and it’s the carotenoid pigment in algae that provides flamingos their fairly pink color.
Many wildlife consultants feared that latest building actions round Sewri and Thane Creek such because the Sewri-Nhava Sheva bridge and different such tasks would pose a risk to the ecosystem, and that the numbers of flamingos who migrate would come down.
But surprisingly, the flamingos have tailored to the circumstances significantly better as lots of them may be seen flying previous the development tasks and even be discovered sitting a couple of hundred yards from the websites.
Photo:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Pretty in pink: A younger resident of Navi Mumbai in opposition to the backdrop of a public wall portray selling flamingo conservation.
Photo:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Winged marvel: Flamingos gathered close to a distinguished residential constructing (NRI Complex) in Navi Mumbai. They have proven a exceptional potential to adapt to their altering surroundings.
Photo:
Emmanual Yogini
Flight of fancy: A flock soars over a residential colony in Nerul, Navi Mumbai.
Photo:
Emmanual Yogini
Aqua ballerinas: Flamingos at DPS Lake in Nerul.
Photo:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Birds of a feather: A pair of better flamingos stress-free in Navi Mumbai throughout excessive tide.
Photo:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Ornithologist’s delight: The flamingoes within the sanctuary at Navi Mumbai are at attraction for vacationers and birders.
Photo:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Filter feeders: Flamingos use their beaks to pressure out algae and small crustaceans from water.
Photo:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Priceless expertise: Morning walkers in Navi Mumbai can benefit from the firm of flamingos
Photo:
Emmanual Yogini
Iconic stance: One concept put ahead by scientists for the flamingos’ well-known pose is that they have a tendency to drag one leg up near the physique to preserve warmth that may in any other case be misplaced whereas standing in water.
