More than 1 lakh flamingos in city: Census

Mumbai: More than one lakh flamingos are present in Mumbai, revealed the latest census by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). In the first comprehensive study on flamingos in Mumbai, it was found that 121,000 flamingos inhabit Mumbai. However, the number of greater flamingos that are large in size and whitish in colour is showing a decline.

BNHS is conducting long-term ecological studies on flamingos and other waders at the eastern seafront of Mumbai, the Sewri-Nhava seascape, to understand the impact of developmental activities on these birds. The study shows that while the number of lesser flamingos, having a pinkish hue and small size, has significantly increased to one lakh since October 2018, the population of greater flamingos has been declining over the same period. Experts have stated that it could be due to large-scale migration of birds during 2019. Also, the number of sub-adult birds can be seen decreasing since May 2018.

“It is very encouraging to see a large number of flamingos arriving around Mumbai. This underlines the importance of the critical habitats in and around the Mumbai region. It also highlights the necessity of such long-term comprehensive studies to understand migratory birds and chart future conservation plans,” said Rahul Khot, principal investigator of this project and assistant director, BNHS.

The census, concluded in January 2019, was based on the survey conducted on the banks of the Thane Creek that is Vitava to Sewri and Vitava to JNPT. These banks were divided into transects of 1km each, surveyed by multiple tea-ms of researchers and ass-istants in hand-rowed boa-ts to count lesser and gre-ater flamingos in one day. The surveys were conducted on 3 consecutive days.

“It is excellent news. But it also means that we need to focus and work to clean the highly polluted eastern sea front so that we provide a toxicity-free habitat for flamingos,” noted Dr Deepak Apte, director, BNHS.