Maharashtra declares Thane creek area as 'Flamingo Sanctuary'

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government has declared the 17 sq km area along Thane Creek as Flamingo Sanctuary.

"The Revenue and Forests Department has issued a notification declaring the 'Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary," N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, mangrove cell, told PTI here today.

The notification says that sub divisional officer Mumbai suburban district will determine the existence, nature and extent of rights of any person in or over the land within the limits of the said area.

"Thane Creek will be known as 'Flamingo Sanctuary' as over 25,000 flamingo turned up at the stretch of 17 sq km of Creek," state Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had said.

Currently, flamingos are not protected by the forest department as it has no control over the area. Fishermen frequent the mud flats for crabs that cause disturbance to birds. There have been cases where flamingos were hunted for meat.

The mangrove forests along the creek in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane witness the arrival of a variety of migratory birds like lesser flamingo, greater flamingo, pied avocet, painted stork and spot-billed duck. Apart from flamingo, over 205 species of birds arrives on creek area in thousands during high and low tides.