A dazzling sight bewildered the residents of the financial capital of India – Mumbai.
Amid the lockdown due to the coronavirus, thousands of flamingos flocked the quiet and peaceful city, creating a resplendent sea of pink in the lakes and wetlands.
According to Rahul Khot, the Assistant Director at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), these beautiful birds conventionally migrate to the capital of the western state of Maharashtra from September to May for feeding. He added that while a record 134,000 flamingos were spotted last year, he expects that number to soar this year.
Khot also said that an increase in “domestic sewage” from people staying at home during the lockdown “is helping the undisturbed formation of planktons, algae and microbenthos formation, which forms the food for flamingos and other wetland birds.”
The BNHS has estimated that there has been a 25 per cent increase in the flamingo population migrating this year to this region when compared to last year.
Flamingos seen wading in huddles in a lake in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/sOh736OLKC
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 2, 2020
Deepak Apte, the director of the BNHS, explained that the lockdown “is giving these birds peace for roosting, no disturbance in their attempt to obtain food and overall encouraging habitat.”
India has been under a strict lockdown since the end of March, with only essential services open. This has caused a massive positive change to the air quality of multiple cities in the country, which are otherwise notorious for being the most polluted in the world.
The lockdown has certainly helped the wildlife across the world thrive. With humans locked at home, animals are exploiting the peace and serenity that they otherwise never experience.
The sight of the thousands of flamingos is truly a sight to behold. Do you agree? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
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