Mumbai to go on a flamingo ‘fotothon’

This event will combine photography with a desire to conserve the coastal environment for the welfare and protection of flamingos.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

This month on, the coastline of Mumbai is going to play host to flamingos. The pink beauties visit the city just as the weather dips in the last months of the year. However, rising pollution in our seas and the fact that these beautiful birds are being increasingly poached each year, has lessened their numbers somewhat.

But shutterbugs in the city are going to do their bit to conserve the ecology for flamingos and have some photographic fun doing so – they are going to arm themselves with their cameras and head to Maharashtra Nature Park for a 24-hour live photo-marathon that will go a long way in helping to conserve flamingos and the ecology that sustains them. It’s simple: the photo-marathon is a 24-hour race that tests your photography skills and creativity, as also your passion for nature. Every participating photographer gets a span of 24 hours to ‘shoot and submit’ their work.

The ‘Friends of Flamingos’ is a year-long initiative conceived by Fotothon, which is a unique 24-hour live photography challenge held annually in Mumbai and which is supported by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). The two-day campaign will flag off on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 10 am.

Paresh Pimpale, Director for Fotothon said, “Through Fotothon, we aim to encourage photographers to use their cameras for conservation. This year, we are using Fotothon to spread awareness about these beautiful birds that arrive in huge numbers in Mumbai but due to extensive pollution and also poaching, they have become vulnerable here.”