Mumbai, India flooded with thousands of flamingos amid COVID-19 lockdown
Hordes of flamingos took advantage of empty spaces, lining up along the streets and waterways in Mumbai.
With COVID-19 restrictions keeping people indoors in countries around the world, many animals are noticing this and are basking in the empty streets and waterways.
Such is the case in India, as tens of thousands of flamingos have made their way to the city of Mumbai, taking full advantage of the peaceful scenery outdoors. Photos and videos of the flamingos posted on social media has drawn plenty of attention.
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In an interview with CNN, Rahul Khot, assistant director at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), said the birds typically fly to the area to feed from September through to the end of May.
In 2019, a record 134,000 flamingos were counted in the area, but Khot thinks an even bigger number will be tallied this year. Even before the COVID-19 lockdown there were 125,000 flamingos tracked, a total he suspects will exceed the previous record by the end of the month.
In addition to the number of birds that have garnered mass attention, where they are flocking to has generated buzz. They have been spotted lounging in the wetlands where they have typically avoided in the past, Khot added.
"They are being reported from places where they have earlier been reported less in number because there is no human activity there now," he said.
Thousands of flamingos have taken Mumbai by storm, as the city remains under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Asian News International.
The BNHS assistant director also said removing human pressure on the environment allows the country to appreciate the importance of the wetlands in Mumbai.
Stories of wildlife roaming seemingly deserted towns and cities have popped up around the world, but this is a trend that has been particularly noticeable in India because of the country's usually crowded urban areas and pollution levels. A lack of humans in public spaces have been quite helpful to a number of animals including monkeys, which have shown up in Delhi in great numbers, as well as dolphins, spotted in the Ganges River for the first time in years.
It has been more than a month since the country went into lockdown because of the pandemic. Trains, flights and buses have been put on hold and only essential services are operational.
Thumbnail courtesy of Asian News International.
Source: CNN
