Know Why Navi Mumbai’s Flamingo Arrival Is Delayed and What Experts Are Saying
Every year, wetlands in Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai turn pink with the arrival of thousands of flamingos, but this season, the city’s much-loved visitors are running late. Environmental experts say the delay is linked to prolonged monsoon and post-monsoon showers, a sign of how changing weather patterns are increasingly affecting local ecosystems.
Mumbai, November 10: Every year, wetlands in Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai turn pink with the arrival of thousands of flamingos, but this season, the city’s much-loved visitors are running late. Environmental experts say the delay is linked to prolonged monsoon and post-monsoon showers, a sign of how changing weather patterns are increasingly affecting local ecosystems.
The absence of the birds, normally seen flocking to the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary by early November, is worrying conservationists who see them as indicators of wetland health. “Flamingos are ambassadors of a healthy environment. When they arrive late or in fewer numbers, it signals that the ecosystem is under stress,” said BN Kumar, director of the NatConnect Foundation, news agency PTI reported. Mumbai Car Fire: Four-Wheeler Engulfs in Blaze Outside Trident Hotel Near Air India Building on Marine Drive (See Pic).
Why Navi Mumbai’s Flamingo Arrival Is Delayed This Year?
Experts point out that delayed migration could be tied to disrupted tidal flows and excess rainfall, which alter water salinity and algal growth, the very conditions flamingos depend on for food. As filter feeders, they sustain wetland health through a process called bioturbation, which helps oxygenate mudflats and balance nutrients. When water levels or quality fluctuate, these feeding grounds become unsuitable, forcing flocks to wait or relocate. Is 'COSTA App Saving' Promising High Returns Authorised or Not? Mumbai Police Warn Against Unregistered Investment Platform Accused of Defrauding Investors.
Kumar and other environmentalists warn that the delay is a clear reminder of how fragile these ecosystems have become. They urge authorities to stop debris dumping, restore tidal flow, and treat wetlands as “protective climate infrastructure” rather than potential real estate. “We cannot afford to ignore this science,” Kumar said, stressing that healthy wetlands are key to both biodiversity and urban climate resilience.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 10, 2025 08:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).