Flamingos flock to a lockdown-stricken Mumbai

While people are confined due to lockdowns across India, tens of thousands of flamingos are enjoying the calm and tranquility in Mumbai.

A large number of flamingos have gathered in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, in western India. Their photos are going viral among birdwatchers on social media.

The flamingos typically migrate to this region for feeding between September and May, according to Rahul Khot, assistant director at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which monitors the birds.

Last year, a record 134,000 flamingos were counted in the area, but Khot believes this year will see a new record set.

BNHS had already documented 125,000 flamingos before their counting was interrupted by India's coronavirus lockdown, which began on March 25. Khot expects the flamingo population to exceed the previous record by the end of May.

It’s not just the overwhelming number of flamingos that’s drawing attention – they have also expanded into wetlands where they were once rare, Khot added.

“They are being sighted in areas where they were previously few in number, thanks to the absence of human activity,” he explained.

By reducing human impact on the environment, we are beginning to realize the true value of the wetlands in Mumbai, Khot added.

Stories of animals venturing into human-free towns and cities have surfaced worldwide, but this phenomenon is particularly striking in India due to its typically overcrowded urban areas and severe pollution.

India has been under lockdown for over a month to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Trains, flights, and buses have been suspended, with only essential services still operational.

In March, Mumbai recorded its best air quality ever, according to a recent report by IQAir, a global leader in air quality data and technology.

Other species benefiting from the human absence include monkeys, which have gathered in large numbers in Delhi, and dolphins, which have been spotted in the Ganges River for the first time in years.

The lockdown, initially set to end on April 14, was extended until May 3. Since April 22, some states with fewer cases have eased certain restrictions, though transportation remains suspended.