Navi Mumbai Welcomes First Feathered Visitors; Larger Flocks Expected Soon

Flamingos have begun arriving at wetlands in Navi Mumbai, though in smaller numbers than usual. While some have been spotted at Kharghar and Nerul wetlands, their arrival is about two weeks behind schedule, with their typical arrival time being mid-December.

Vidyasagar Hariharan, a banker and dedicated photographer who has documented flamingo migration to the city for seven years, expects a more significant influx in the coming weeks. "We will see a larger number of flamingos arriving," Hariharan said.

Currently, small groups of flamingos are seen at T.S. Chanakya Wetland and a water body in Sector 16 Kharghar. Thane Creek remains a popular destination, and the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) recorded a record 133,000 flamingos between December 2021 and March 2022.

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), a pan-India wildlife research organization that has been tracking and tagging flamingos since 2018, has observed a gradual increase in the number of flamingos at TCFS. Researchers emphasize the need to monitor this trend over the next few years. The 2021-2022 period saw the highest number of greater flamingos across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) since monitoring began.

The delay in Navi Mumbai's flamingo arrival is attributed to favourable weather conditions and abundant food sources in Gujarat, particularly Kutch. The wetlands in Navi Mumbai typically witness flamingo arrivals in winter when waters in Kutch start drying up.

Sunil Agarwal of the Save Navi Mumbai Environment Forum notes that the current flamingo numbers are low, expecting a significant increase at the wetland behind DPS and T.S. Chanakya in Nerul. However, he points out that ongoing construction and disturbances in the tidal wave have negatively impacted the arrival of annual migratory birds.

Meanwhile, for the fourth consecutive week, citizens, students, residents, and institutions participated in the "Chalo Chanakya" protest on January 14, expressing their opposition to the human-induced damage to Navi Mumbai's Chanakya Wetland.