In the pink? Getting there

Flamingoes are reserved as naturalists' delight. But if a common man gets a close look at them, he would remember the experience forever. Now, flamingo safaris in Mumbai let people do just that.

One can hire a boat, generally owned by fishermen, and tour the marked thousand-plus flamingo sanctuary hectares between Airoli to Vashi belonging to Thane Creek, to spot these migratory friends. There are records of 35,000 flamingoes in this region alone. Mangroves (form a large fraction) and mudflats make up this habitat. This is an effort to protect the environs of the megapolis and promote its wildlife tourism.

The flamingoes arrive in October from the Great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, nest in the mudflats, and leave before the onset of monsoon.

While the bigger ones have light pink legs and a few streaks of pink on their feathers, the smaller ones have deep pink feathers, almost-red legs and a black bill.

In the last 20 years, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has emerged as a flamingo haven. But now, the flamingoes face challenges on all fronts.

Eminent naturalist Bittu Sahgal (the founder-editor of a reputed environment magazine), in association with The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS-India), has been conducting flamingo watch sessions for several years now. And N Vasudevan, the additional principal chief conservator of forests, State Mangrove Cell, has taken initiatives to ensure that the tour guides are trained by BNHS-India. On the Sewri mudflats (South Mumbai), the biggest colony of flamingoes was seen not very long ago   - around 15,000 to 20,000 of them - it has now come down to a few hundred.

"Flamingoes also form Mumbai's heritage. For an amateur, watching them is like going close to the moon," said an excited Pagoor Desai, a birdwatcher, after a flamingo safari.  

Flamingoes were first spotted in Mumbai in 1994. In fact, the two types of birds of this species, Greater flamingoes (Phoenicopterus roseus) and Lesser flamingoes (Phoenicopterus minor), are seen at BNHS-India.

Some palaeontologists and ornithologists believe that they are the link between the family of birds comprising storks, herons, ibises, spoonbills and cranes and the flock comprising ducks, swans and geese.

"This is a good initiative," says Parvish Pandya, associate professor in Zoology at Bhavan's College, who is a wildlife and environment consultant.

"We want the flamingoes to keep coming back to Mumbai. It's imperative that the younger generation is told about these birds, their importance, and the importance of mangroves," he added.

Weakness in numbers

"Previously in the Uran-Thane stretch, one could have seen at least 25,000 flamingoes. This time, it's between 5,000 and 8,000.  Overland wetlands are reducing, and last year, the monsoon was an extended one," said Sudhir Gaikwad Inamdar of Thane, who has been visiting these stretches.

Ornithologist Sachin Main, the founder-chairman of NEST, who is popularising birdwatching, said that the trend is a matter of concern. "Habitat loss is a major challenge… mangroves are decreasing, wetlands are decreasing, human disturbance along the Mumbai coast has increased. Added to it are the problems of irresponsible tourism and unplanned infrastructure development," said Main.

Besides Sewri and Thane-Airoli, the flamingoes are found in places - though in smaller numbers - at the saltpans along Suncity in Vasai, Datiware and Kelve.

"Poaching is one big problem," said general physician Rajaneesh Ghadi, who is also an ornithologist. "These birds have strong memory. They change the flight path and also places where they face problems," he said.

But what has attracted them to Mumbai? They like saline and alkaline water. Soda lakes, salt lagoons and mudflats form their habitat from where they source food made of crustaceans, worms and blue-green algae.

Besides flamingoes, the creeks of Mumbai offer wintering refuge to many species of migratory birds including pied avocets, black-tailed  godwits, common redshanks, stints and sand plovers.