5/5 Negi R. 4 years ago on Google
The
Sewri
Mangrove
Park
was
declared
a
protected
area
by
the Bombay
Port
Trust on
January
15
1996.
This
park
consists
of
15
acres
of mangroves in
the
mudflats
between Sewri and Trombay.
It
can
be
reached
from
Sewri
station
on
the
Harbour
line
of
the
Mumbai
suburban
railway
network.
Get
out
on
the
east,
cross
the
highway
and
commence
walking
due
east.
Follow
the
road
as
it
turns
right,
and
proceed
to
Sewri
jetty.
The
walk
takes
about
15
minutes.
Taxis
will
take
you
to
the
jetty,
but
it
is
hard
to
find
one
back.
 In
1995,
the
BPT
had
undertaken
to
protect
this
area
from
any
new
construction
or
dredging
activity.
It
had
also
declared
an
intention
to
influence
the
chemical
industries
along
the
coastline
to
check
air
and
water
pollution
by
reinforcing
effluent
control
measures.
The
Trust
further
planned
to
protect
the
park
from
residents
of
nearby
areas
who
cut
down
the
trees
for
fuel,
as
well
as
from
unscrupulous
developers
who
remove
sand
from
the
area,
thereby
weakening
the
grip
of
anchor
roots.
In
all
this,
the
BPT
was
more
successful
than
people
had
expected.
However,
more
than
a
decade
later,
in
2007,
this
wetland
habitat
is
in
danger
of
being
wiped
out
by
the
planned
Mumbai-Nava
Sheva
road
link.
Mangroves
Mangroves
are
essential
to
the
ecology
of
the
coast
and
the
island.
They
provide
fertile
ground
for
fish
to
feed
and
breed
in
and
nurture
a
large
variety
of
birds.
Seven
species
of
mangroves
have
been
identified
in
this
area.
The
Bombay
Natural
History
Society
(BNHS)
will
help
the
BPT
to
replant
barren
areas
inside
the
reserve.
This
project
is
expected
to
cost
about
Rs.
500,000.
In
addition,
biodiversity
studies
will
be
carried
out
using
satellite
imagery
in
addition
to
older
techniques
like
forest
inventory.
Similiar
efforts
have
been
made
to
replant
mangroves
in
Vikhroli-Ghatkopar
in
the
early
90's.
This
was
done
by
BNHS
and
the
Soonabai
Phirojsha
Godrej
Foundation.
The BMC also
has
plans
for
replanting
mangroves
in
the
Thane
creek
region.
Birds
 A
very
large
number
of
birds
either
live
in,
or
visit
these
swamps.
In
1994
Flamingoes
returned
to
mudflats
after
forty
years.
In
a
few
hours
of
a
winter
afternoon
one
can
expect
to
see
many
species.
Recently
I
was
with
a
group
which
arrived
when
the
tide
was
at
its
lowest,
and
waited
for
a
couple
of
hours
for
it
to
come
in.
The
flamingos
were
too
far
away
to
be
seen
without
binoculars,
but
we
had
good
sightings
of
many
other
birds.
There
were
numerous
barn
swallows
flitting
over
the
shallow
water,
their
backs
a
smoky
blue
tapering
to
ash.
The
exposed
mud
at
low
tide
was
covered
with
flocks
of
little
stints
and
sandpipers.
Gulls
(both
black-headed
and
brown-headed)
soared
over
the
distant
water.
One
made
a
spectacular
dive
into
a
tide
pool
near
the
shore
to
catch
a
fish.
Terns,
with
their
distinctive
angled
wings
flew
with
the
gulls.
Two
black-headed
Ibis
flew
past
us
to
forage
somewhere
out
of
sight.
 Little
egrets,
some
still
with
their
breeding
plumage,
tiptoed
delicately
through
the
water,
coming
to
a
frozen
halt
every
now
and
then,
preparatory
to
jabbing
at
a
prey
below
the
water
with
their
beaks.
Ponds
herons
and
reef
herons
stepped
from
mud
to
tide
pool
and
back.
Away
at
the
distant
tide
line
we
saw
foraging
Godwits,
red
shanks
and
green
shanks.
A
Kingfisher
with
its
spectacular
plumage
came
to
rest
for
a
while
at
the
tip
of
a
tall
pole
sunk
into
the
mud
near
us.
As
the
tide
lapped
its
way
in,
the
large
egrets,
sandpipers
and
Godwits
came
closer
to
us.
The
black-tailed
Godwit
is
easily
identified
by
its
long
beak,
and
the
white
wing
feathers
with
a
black
edging
which
can
be
seen
when
it
is
in
flight.
They
were
still
pecking
away
at
the
mud
when
we
left.
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