Flamingos make their annual stop in Funadhoo; Officials remind public that the birds are protected

A year later, flamingos have returned to Sh. Funadhoo.

Around the same period last year, flamingos arrived in Funadhoo and brightened the island’s lagoon with their presence.

Council Chairperson Mohamed Adil told Sun on Saturday evening that the flamingos have been visiting Funadhoo for several days. He said the birds typically appear during the June-July season.

Adil said the council is monitoring whether the public is disturbing the flamingos, noting that they are a protected species in Maldives.  

“No one will harm them here,” he said.

Photographer Mohamed Thasneem (Thanni) captured striking images of the flamingos in Funadhoo last year and shared them on Facebook. He told Sun at the time that the flamingos stayed for about three months when they first migrated to Funadhoo in 2021, but their visits have become shorter in recent years.

In 2021, a large flock of flamingos that migrated to Maldives for the first time drew nationwide attention, especially in sunny weather. The birds are most commonly sighted in Sh. Funadhoo and H.Dh. Kulhudhuffushi.

It is noteworthy that flamingos are a protected species in Maldives, and authorities consistently advise the public not to harm them.