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Mumbai's threatened flamingos

May 31, 2016

Mumbai isn't just home to skyscrapers and slums - thanks to its mangrove forests, it also attracts flamingos and rare bird species. But this biodiversity is under threat from pollution and illegal slum encroachments.

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Artikelbild Fiamingo
Image: Manish Mehta

Mumbai's mangroves under threat

Project goal: Developing and implementing participatory models to preserve and manage selected protected areas along India's coasts
Project partner: The Indian Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change in India (MoEFCC) supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI)
Project budget: The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) are providing 9.6 million euros for the sustainable management of India's coastline
Biodiversity: The Thane Creek sanctuary is home to more than 200 bird species, including flamingos and lush mangrove forests.

The idea of flocks of long-legged pink birds descending on megacity Mumbai seems almost surreal - yet every year, Thane Creek in the city's east witnesses the migration of some 30,000 flamingos. The area is already rich in avian life, mudflats and mangrove forests - so much so, that it has now been declared a sanctuary. But Mumbai's explosive urban growth poses tough challenges when it comes to preserving the sensitive eco-zone.

A film by Sonia Phalnikar