India: Flamingos Flock to a Locked-Down Mumbai
Tens of thousands of flamingos have flocked to Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra state in western India.
The birds traditionally migrate to the area for feeding from September to the end of May, according to Rahul Khot, assistant director at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which monitors the flamingos.
Last year a record 134,000 flamingos were counted in the area, but Khot believes a new record will be set this year.
Tales of curious animals exploring towns and cities empty of humans have emerged around the world, but the phenomenon has been especially noticeable in India due to the country’s normally crowded urban areas and high levels of pollution.
In March, Mumbai experienced its best air quality on record, according to a recent analysis by IQAir — a global air quality information and tech company.
Other animals that have benefited from humans’ absence include monkeys, which have descended on Delhi in great numbers, and dolphins, which have been spotted in the Ganges river for the first time in years.
