Quantification of flamingo habitat using remote sensing and GIS tools at Thane Creek Flamingo bird Sanctuary, Maharashtra, India
Student name: Ms Tripti Shukla
Guide: Dr Neeti
Year of completion: 2016
Host Organisation: WWF-India, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr G. Areendran
Abstract: Species conservation is intricately linked to habitat quality and its conservation. Habitat destruction by humans has negative effects on the feeding ground of Flamingos. Thane creek located in Thane district of Maharashtra, is one of the largest creeks in Asia; it includes mudflats, salt pans and good diversity of mangroves and Flamingos. Approximately one lakh migratory Flamingos stay in Thane creek for feeding. Mudflats, saltpans and shallow water are ideal sites for Flamingos. Mangroves cutting for fuel, fish aquaculture ponds and dumping of wastes and construction are main threats in Thane creek. Flamingos are being near threatened, due to its dependence on a limited number of unprotected breeding sites, declining of population, and quality of habitat. Approx. 16.9Square km area of Thane creek declared as Thane creek Flamingo bird sanctuary by Govt. of Maharashtra to protect Flamingo habitat. This is GIS based study which was done using Landsat images, world climate data and MaxENT. Assessment of LULC patterns of Thane creek Flamingo bird sanctuary includes the comparison of satellite images of two decades 2000-2015. GIS and remote sensing tools provide creation of habitat suitability map for Flamingo. The MaxENT habitat suitability model combines information on Land use land cover and threats to biodiversity to produce habitat quality maps. MaxENT model help in determining what factors are best at predicting the suitable sites for Flamingos. The result represents mangroves, mudflat, shallow water is suitable habitat sites for Flamingos in Thane creek. LULC of study area reveals that is built up has increased by 11% in past 15 years that may create problem for Flamingo habitat in upcoming future. Jacknife curve shows overall mangroves and mudflats are the most important variable for Flamingo habitat.
Key word: LULC maps, MaxENT, Flamingo, Habitat suitability, Thane creek, GIS and remote sensing.
