Flamingos Arrive in Navi Mumbai and so has the Demand for the Wetland Conservation

It is this time of the year that the Navi Mumbai, or as it is called, the 'Flamingo city' turns pink, and so it has. The excitement is rising among bird lovers and environmentalists as the season’s first flamingos touch down in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, signalling the return of the region’s annual pink season. 

Their arrival, slightly delayed this time, has been recorded with around 300 greater flamingos in The Thane Creek, says senior bird researcher Mrugank Prabhu, while watchers have spotted early flyovers at the DPS Flamingo Lake in Nerul.

"Numbers are still small, but larger flocks are expected shortly," confirms Prashant Bahadure, RFO at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environmental Preservation Society called on citizens to “wholeheartedly welcome the pink guests” while demanding stronger protection of their habitats.

Environmentalists citing the threats this season, yet again

However, with the arrival of the flamingos have got back another discourse has emerged among the conservationists, environmentalists, and bird enthusiasts. "Their return marks the informal opening of Flamingo City’s pink festival," NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar, who urged the State government to finalise the long-pending Gazette notification declaring the DPS Lake a Conservation Reserve, says.

Reportedly, the State Wildlife Board approved the proposal in April after sustained campaigning by environmental groups, backed by State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik. Environmentalists say the birds’ arrival reinforces the urgent need to secure Mumbai’s shrinking wetlands. 

Kumar stressed that critical wetlands such as Panje, Bhendkhal and Belpada in Uran, along with NRI, TS Chanakya and Lotus Lake in Navi Mumbai, must be notified without delay. These waterbodies are among the 24,000 mapped in Maharashtra under the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment, the ISRO-backed Wetland Atlas prepared by the Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad.

Nationally, the inventory lists over two lakh wetlands larger than 2.25 hectares, but formal notifications have lagged due to prolonged ground-truthing. The verification, conducted by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, has now been completed, removing a major procedural bottleneck.

“Wetlands are not wastelands; they are our life-saving sponges. They absorb excess rain, recharge groundwater and act as buffers against floods and heat. When we destroy wetlands, we are actually destroying our own safety net. Cities that dream of becoming ‘global’ cannot treat wetlands as dumping grounds or real estate; they must treat them as essential public infrastructure," Kumar says.

Flamingos, experts say, contribute significantly to wetland health. By feeding on algae, plankton and small invertebrates, they regulate nutrient levels and prevent algal blooms. Their constant stirring of the mudflats improves aeration, benefiting aquatic plants and fish, while their very presence serves as a reliable indicator of ecological stability.

Kumar further says, "The first step to saving wetlands is to officially recognise them. Unless wetlands are notified, they remain invisible on government records and are easy targets for reclamation. We have been pleading with the authorities: stop sitting on the reports, notify these wetlands now. Notification is not a favour to environmentalists; it is a basic duty to citizens and to future generations.”

When Mumbai becomes pink

As per various reports, Flamingos started arriving in significant numbers in Navi Mumbai's Thane Creek wetlands during the late 1980s and 1990s. It is said that the birds were attracted by nutrient-rich mudflats and algae from sewage, which transformed the area into a vital feeding ground. Gradually,  the numbers went up to over 100,000 by 2022.

The birds migrate from Gujarat's Kutch and Rajasthan's Sambhar Lake, and reportedly even from parts of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, and stay in areas like Sewri, Nerul, and Panvel between November and June. While both Greater and Lesser Flamingos are present here, developmental projects and land-use changes have posed threats, prompting citizen-led initiatives, including groups like 'Save Navi Mumbai Environment' (SNME) and events like the 'Run for Flamingos'.

Environmentalists say the pink arrivals are not just a seasonal spectacle but essential partners in keeping Mumbai’s threatened mudflats and creeks alive.