In April 2025, the Maharashtra State Wildlife Board (SBWL) approved the declaration of the 30-acre Delhi Public School (DPS) Flamingo Lake in Navi Mumbai(Maharashtra) as a conservation reserve. The announcement was made during the board meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister(CM) Devendra Fadnavis and attended by Forest Minister Ganesh Naik as well as senior officials.
- This marks an important step, as it becomes the first wetland linked to the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) in Mumbai to get this kind of protection.
- The lake plays an important role in the lives of flamingos, especially during high tide when they move from TCFS to rest and feed.
Key Points:
i.This protection decision followed continuous efforts by environmental groups in Navi Mumbai, who have been raising concerns for a long time.
ii.The decision is seen as a big boost for the conservation of Navi Mumbai’s fragile wetland ecosystem. By giving the lake the status of a conservation reserve, it will help protect the habitat of flamingos and other wildlife, while also ensuring that the area is not disturbed by future development.
iii.SBWL also approved the expansion of the Bor Wildlife Sanctuary located in Wardha district of Maharashtra.
- As part of this move, five nearby villages Garamsur, Yenidodka, Methiraji, Umarvihori, and Maraksur, will now be added to the sanctuary area.
- The board also decided to give special protection to “Devrais,” which are sacred groves found in the Western Ghats.
iv.The board has agreed to form a committee under the leadership of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) of the western region. This committee will work on preparing proposals to declare these sacred groves as conservation reserves in the future.
About Flamingos:
i.Flamingos are tall, elegant wading birds easily recognized by their pinkish plumage, slender legs, graceful necks, and distinctive downward-curved bills.
ii.The species commonly found in India, the Greater Flamingo, is known scientifically as Phoenicopterus roseus.
iii.Standing between 90 to 150 centimetre(cm) tall, their vivid pink or rosy coloration comes from carotenoid pigments in their diet.
iv.Flamingos are specialized filter feeders, using comb-like structures in their beaks to sift through water for algae, crustaceans, and diatoms.
About Maharashtra:
Chief Minister (CM)- Devendra Fadnavis
Governor- Chandrapuram Ponnusamy (C.P.) Radhakrishnan
Capital– Mumbai
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.
