Navi Mumbai welcomes flamingos amid concerns over reduced wetlands

Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai once again witnessed the arrival of the flamingos, athough this season, they have come later than usual and in noticeably smaller numbers. Bird lovers have still welcomed the sight, as the birds are a key part of the region's coastal ecosystem and a symbol of the city's wetlands. Typically, flamingos reach the Mumbai coast during the Oct to Nov migratory window.This year, however, experts believe many birds may have stayed back in Gujarat, particularly in the Kutch region. Flamingos that gather at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary often move towards Navi Mumbai during high tides, using its wetlands for resting and roosting, which has earned the area the nickname Flamingo City.Environmental observers suggest the shift could be linked to climate change, prolonged monsoon-like conditions and the continued availability of water in neighbouring Gujarat. According to environmentalist B N Kumar, early sightings in Dec were followed by the birds returning to Gujarat, indicating that conditions in some Mumbai wetlands may not have been suitable at the time. Concerns have also been raised about water quality.Greens cited water sample test results that reportedly show toxic conditions in certain water bodies. While flamingos have now been spotted at the NRI Wetland, they have not yet been seen at DPS Lake. Activists say DPS Lake remains in poor shape, with a thick layer of algae and signs of organic pollution. Beyond ecological issues, DPS Lake is also awaiting formal legal protection.The govt resolution to grant the lake ‘conservation reserve' status is still pending clearance at Mantralaya, based on information obtained through the RTI Act. Environmental advocates, including Virendra Gandhi, Sandeep Sareen and Rekha Sankhala, have urged authorities to speed up the process to safeguard the wetland and improve habitat conditions for the returning flamingos.Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.