Environmental Graffiti

Flamingos Hiding in Mumbai’s Filth

Every year, Mumbai opens its doors wide to thousands of visitors. Searching for food, they descend on the coastal areas of the city from late November to early March. Hosts of Lesser Flamingos stop by on their migration route to tank up on the algae and shrimp that the mud flats provide. The average Mumbaikar is not impressed – though everyone knows about these feathery visitors, hardly anyone bothers to pay them a visit. We did some urban exploring to find out why.

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Spot the Odd One Out

Standing out from the crowd is considered a merit among humans. Being the odd one out, which amounts to the same thing, is less desirable. Go figure. Animals probably couldn't care less either way. The lone adult King Penguin shown here may look a little lightly dressed, but all it cares about is taking care of the group of fat fluffy chicks in whose midst he wanders. The chicks hold onto their warm, woolly brown coats to get through the winter...

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Starling Formations Paint Incredible Pictures in the Sky

Messages in nature? Living art created by avian multitudes? Or just an example of the human mind perceiving forms greater than the sum of their parts? The superstitious might lean towards the former interpretations, but either way it’s clear birds are capable of making some phenomenal shapes. Flocks of Starlings have got to be the standard bearers when it comes painting complex patterns in the sky, yet Flamingos too can form some awe-inspiring figures.

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