Home / Environment / Flamingos Vanish: Gujarat's Wetlands See Bird Boom
Flamingos Vanish: Gujarat's Wetlands See Bird Boom
12 Feb
Summary
- Gujarat wetlands host 7.2 lakh birds, a record high.
- Flamingo numbers at Nalsarovar and Thol drastically declined.
- Kutch's Rann wetlands now a thriving flamingo hub.
- Reduced tourism potentially boosted overall bird counts.
Gujarat's wetlands have recorded an unprecedented 7.2 lakh birds during the annual waterbird census. Nalsarovar alone hosted a historic 6.42 lakh birds, while Thol saw its best count in 15 years with 74,000. This surge in overall bird numbers occurred alongside a significant decrease in flamingo populations at these Ramsar-recognized sites, with only about 1,622 recorded combined.
Foresters have documented around 10 lakh flamingos in Nadabet wetland in Kutch, indicating a major shift in their migratory patterns. Experts attribute this to improved breeding conditions and habitat in the Rann of Kutch, where unseasonal rainfall has enhanced vegetation and feeding grounds. This makes Kutch the primary hub for flamingos this season, a contrast to their scarcity at traditional sites like Porbandar and Thane Creek.
Forest department initiatives, including the creation of artificial breeding platforms in Kutch since 2020-21, have bolstered flamingo nesting success, especially after good monsoons in 2022. This strategic support, coupled with better water availability and safer nesting sites, has drawn flamingos to Kutch. Concurrently, the absence of tourism at Nalsarovar following a tragedy in January 2024 may have created a more conducive environment for other waterbirds, leading to their increased abundance.
