Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS)

 Why in News?

Water samples collected from three key flamingo habitats in Navi Mumbai show rising toxicity levels.

• Location – Situated along the eastern suburb of Mumbai, Maharashtra, between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
• It was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2018.
• Declared under–The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and managed by the Maharashtra Forest Department.
• Rivers & Ecosystem – The creek gets the largest source of fresh water from Ulhas River and numerous drainage channels. It receives saline water from Arabian sea.
• Estuarine ecosystem formed by Thane Creek, an inlet of the Arabian Sea.
• Rich in mangroves, mudflats, and tidal creeks.
• Acts as a natural buffer against coastal erosion and floods.
• Vegetation & Flora – Mangroves - Avicennia, Rhizophora, Sonneratia species.
  • Carbon sink role - Mangroves absorb CO₂, contributing to climate change mitigation.
• Mudflats- Feeding grounds for migratory birds.
• Salt‑tolerant vegetation adapted to tidal conditions.
• Fauna – Flamingos - Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) and Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor).
• Other birds - Sandpipers, gulls, herons, egrets, ~200 bird species.
• Declared as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
• Breeding & Migration – Flamingos breed in Kutch, Gujarat, but migrate to TCFS for feeding.
• Seasonal migration - October – May and Peak congregation: February – March.
• TCFS hosts more than 1 lakh flamingos annually.
• Part of the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), a major global migratory bird route.
• Ramsar Site Recognition – It was recognized as a Ramsar Site in 2022.
• Threats – Pollution- High total dissolved solids (TDS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and alkaline pH levels in satellite wetlands.
• Urbanization-Wetland reclamation by CIDCO and real estate projects.
• Habitat Loss-Reduced tidal flushing, stagnant water.
• Plastic & Sewage Pollution - Marine debris affecting feeding grounds.
• Climate Change - Altered hydrology and salinity levels.

References

The Hindu | TCFS