Navi Mumbai’s flamingo arrival delayed, sparks climate change concerns

The arrival of Navi Mumbairsquos annual pink visitors mdash the flamingos mdash has been delayed this season likely due to the prolonged monsoon and postmonsoon showers reflecting the growing stress of climate change on local ecosystems environmentalists sayThe presence of flamingos in the cityrsquos wetlands and Thane Creek is more than just a visual delight mdash it is a crucial indicator of ecological health observed NatConnect Foundation director B N KumarldquoFlamingos are ambassadors of a healthy environment When they arrive in good numbers it means the wetlands are alive Their delayed arrival and declining presence are warning signals The ecosystem is under stressrdquo Kumar saidHe emphasised that protecting wetlands must be central to climate change mitigation efforts ldquoIn coastal cities like ours where extreme rainfall tidal flooding and sealevel rise are now regular challenges wetlands are not optionalrdquo Kumar stressed ldquoThey are the protective climate infrastructurerdquoFlamingos also actively help maintain wetland health As filter feeders they consume microalgae diatoms and tiny invertebrates in shallow waters While feeding they stir the sediment with their bills and feet mdash a natural process known as bioturbation This gentle churning oxygenates the mudflats regulates algal growth and supports nutrient balance sustaining a wider web of aquatic lifeStudies documented in the AEWACMS International Flamingo Conservation Plan 2008 and field research compiled by BNHS for the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary Management Plan 2018 confirm that healthy flamingo flocks are strongly associated with stable algal communities and unobstructed tidal flowGlobal scientific bodies such as the Ramsar Convention and the UN Environment Programme UNEP recognise wetlands as powerful carbon sinks Coastal wetlands mdash including the mangroves and mudflats around Thane Creek mdash can store over 1000 tonnes of carbon per hectare much of it locked in deep soils UNEP classifies this as blue carbon a cornerstone of climate resilienceDestroying these ecosystems does not merely remove greenery mdash it releases stored carbon increases flood risk harms fisheries and endangers public health Studies show that protecting and restoring wetlands is far more costeffective than building sea walls flood pumps or desalination plantsRamsar guidelines also note that flamingos and other migratory waterbirds are highly sensitive to hydrological disruptions mdash they abandon sites when tidal flow is blocked or water quality deterioratesYet despite being a Ramsar signatory India has formally notified only 102 wetlands out of the over two lakh mapped by ISRO Kumar said Maharashtrarsquos record is particularly poor mdash not one of its 24000 identified wetlands has been officially notified largely due to prolonged bureaucratic delays in ground verificationldquoWe cannot afford to ignore this sciencerdquo Kumar warned urging authorities to stop debris dumping restore tidal flow and treat wetlands as climate assets mdash not as real estate waiting to be reclaimed