For nearly six to seven months every year, the wetlands at T.S. Chanakya turn into a sojourn for flamingos. The exodus that takes place from Rann of Kutch in Gujarat culminates at the feeding grounds of Mangrove swamps in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Mid-day.com spoke to a city-based photographer Vidyasagar Hariharan who camouflages in nature to study their courtship dance
Updated On: 2024-01-15 12:31 PM IST
Compiled by : Ainie Rizvi
Lesser Flamingos captured in flight mode at TS Chanakya Lake in Navi Mumbai
The water is on fire. Lesser and Greater flamingos as seen from the Thane creek boat ride form a line of pink that looks like a line of fire
Flamingo spotting boat safari at Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary
Owing to the rich biodiversity naturally available at T.S. Chanakya – it has emerged as a natural habitat for these pink pilgrims
However, these habitats are threatened by the burgeoning real estate in the surrounding regions, share bird photographers and green activists
“The illegitimate filling up of wetlands and cutting of mangroves next to T.S. Chanakya is destroying their natural habitat,” reveals Vidyasagar Hariharan, a city-based birder and banker by profession
Hariharan has been documenting the juvenile greater flamingos, lesser flamingos and other waders in Mumbai’s wetlands since 2016
Additionally, the wetland champion and lawyer Sunil Agarwal has been working through his initiative Save Navi Mumbai environment to safeguard Navi Mumbai mangroves. Hariharan's photographs are aiding the fight to protect Flamingo's natural habitat
According to the statistics shared by BNHS, the wetlands of Mumbai are home to approximately 1,20,000 Flamingos during the peak of the winter season
