The world’s most instantly recognizable wading bird with long legs has especially captured the hearts of bird lovers and non-birders alike. Flamingo is native to Caribbean islands, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
Credits: Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary
Flamingos are often seen standing on one leg, where the purpose is to preserve body heat, tucking the other leg into their plumage so it is kept warm. Alternate legs are used by them to regulate their body temperature. Truly mind-blowing fact, isn’t it?
Most of us are aware of the story of Ugly Duckling during our childhood which grows up to be a gorgeous Swan! Similarly, the chicks of flamingos are born grey or white and take up to three years to turn into stunning and attractive mature pink. Flamingos feed on snails, slugs, crabs, lobsters, shrimp, krill, and blue-green algae. Flamingos have a wild lifespan of 20-30 years, but as per the records, in captivity, they live up to 50 years or longer as they are subject to receive excellent veterinary care, abundant food, and possess no threat from predators, poachers, etc.
These elegant and beautiful birds have attracted guests in many zoos, aviaries, aquariums, marine parks, and botanical gardens. If you happen to visit Mumbai, be sure to visit them at Jijamata Udyan (Zoo).
Thousands of flamingos, especially Greater and Lesser flamingos migrate to lakes and wetlands of western India to find food and better nesting grounds. Maharashtra especially Mumbai seems to have been blessed as an area to be loved by flamingos to migrate. Following are some of the places to spot Flamingos:
Sewri mudflats, Mumbai
Talawe wetlands near Seawoods, Navi Mumbai
Thane Creek and Boat Ride from Airoli, Mumbai
Bhandup Pumping Station and Boat Ride, Mumbai
Another lesser-known site in Maharashtra to spot flamingos is Bhigwan, situated on the border of Pune and Solapur district, having Yashwant Sagar reservoir, forming from the backwaters of the Ujain dam and famous for watching flamingos
Credits: roundglasssustain.com
Flamingos play an important role by consuming large amounts of aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, and algae thus maintaining the proper balance in the chain of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, human excursion in the natural habitats of these birds may interrupt their nesting and breeding success. For 10 years, there is a lot of wetland destruction and construction taking place in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) region. This has resulted in the delay in the flamingo’s migration. Some of the major threats include Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), which is currently under construction in Sewri, Navi Mumbai airport construction, and the project of Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor which requires diverting 3.27 hectares of land from the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary which has created a ripple of fear among environmentalists and birders.
Despite these interventions, flamingos being faithful to the MMR’S wetlands still find a small place to migrate within the large metropolis. Thanks to the pandemic, in January 2020, around 34000 flamingos were spotted and the number gradually increased to one lakh in February 2020. Well, if flamingos went extinct from our planet we could not see them. Since they are so beautiful we want to see them practically rather than see them only in books and articles!
Credits: Navi Mumbai, Hindustan Times, Oct 21, 2020
Flocks of flamingos can be found in Mumbai during their season which is usually from December to May. Make sure you visit the spots usually in the morning during 6 am to 10 am to see these marvelous flocks of birds. Probable short one-day itineraries can also be formed as under:
Boat tours for an hour can be undertaken from Coastal Marine Biodiversity Centre in Airoli to spot the pink beauties. There are boats available having a capacity of carrying 24 people as well as 7 people. The serene Sanjay Gandhi National Park can also be included for exploring other birds and a variety of wildlife.
Boat rides can be arranged from Bhandup Pumping Station as well from smaller 2-seater rowing boats to larger boats having a capacity of carrying 12 as well as 24 people. Sanjay Gandhi National Park or a trek to Yogi Hills, Mulund can also be included for nature and flamingo enthusiasts.
There are jetty rides from the Sewri railway crossing area into Sewri mudflats, where you can spot flamingos via a spotting scope {kind of a telescope}, helping you get a closer look than otherwise on your own and discovering the historic Sewri fort which is located at an approximate walking distance of 10 minutes from the jetty.
Credits: Coastal Marine Biodiversity Centre in Airoli, Taha Khan, June 2022
Who says that you cannot undertake nature tourism in Mumbai? Well, Maharashtra is among the states where one can get close with nature along with enjoying metropolitan life.
Addressing the needs of tourists and the tourism industry, it is equally important and ethical to consider that the environment, as well as the host communities, are not getting affected adversely through over-tourism. Therefore, tourism caps are required to be put wherever necessary along with increasing the awareness needed to conserve the wetlands to sustain the lives of our charming pink visitors!
Very well written Gargi.👌🏻❤️