Flamingo Dance

by Don Columbus

Title

Flamingo Dance

Artist

Don Columbus

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

Flamingo Dance is a digital abstract of African Lesser Flamingos. Flamingos have rapid movements while feeding and frequent bump into one another which sometimes looks like they are dancing. On a much more serious note Lesser Flamingos are listed as (NT) Near Threatened by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) All 2.5 million of these flamingos in East Africa fly to their preferred breeding area, Lake Natron in Tanzania. Imagine seeing 2.5 million long-legged, pink-feathered birds in one place. The birds migrate in unison between the alkaline lakes in the East African Rift Valley as food sources deplete and the season to breed arrives. The birds rely on unique environments in which to lay their eggs, and have never bred in captivity, meaning that a positive change in their ‘Near-Threatened’ status depends entirely on their environment. Lake Natron was for decades the chosen nesting spot for all East Africa’s flamingos, with couples producing just one chalky egg at a time. However, industrial development has polluted the water source, making Lake Natron, one of only three breeding sites in southern and East Africa, unsuitable. So even though they have large numbers now their future is bleak if their breeding environment is destroyed.

Uploaded

May 31st, 2017

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags