Navi Mumbai: Flamingos now face danger from drones

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After aircraft and stone throwers, drones are posing a major threat to the safety of flamingos at the Navi Mumbai wetlands. Bird enthusiasts visiting the wetlands to get a closer look at the pink birds, have been flying drones over the birds. At times, drones are flown just one or two feet above the birds, said NatConnect Foundation in its complaint to the CM.

The sharp, whirring propeller blades badly hurt and even kill the fragile birds, which are covered under the Wildlife Protection Act- 1972, NatConnect director BN Kuma has said. What is even more dangerous for the birds is that the drones try to track them during their flights, Kumar said, and called for the official intervention to keep drones away from flamingo zones. Kumar marked his mail to the State director general of police, Navi Mumbai police commissioner and the mangrove cell.

"Yes, I have come across the disturbing scenes at TS Chanakya flamingo zone," said an alarmed Rekha Sankhala of Save Flamingos and Mangroves forum. Young enthusiasts operating drones need to be educated, Sankhala said. "There is a danger of people turning violent if a commoner like me tries to stop them," she said and suggested a police man in uniform to impose the law for the protected species. As many as 39 flamingos were killed eleven days ago when they crashed into an Emirates flight while it was about to land at Mumbai airport.