As a wildlife conservation charity we are not usually concerned with the activities of beautiful, leggy film stars – but Disney’s latest cinematic offering may change all that.
The Crimson Wing opens in cinemas today and follows the amazing and often strange habits of the occupants of Lake Natron in Tanzania – a million and a half lesser flamingos.
Flamingos are fascinating creatures. They survive on algae only found in alkaline lakes which contains the pigments that give the birds their pink feathers. They lay just one egg each breeding season and after the young have hatched they are gathered into large crèches of up to 100,000 chicks marshalled by a few adults.
The huge numbers of these birds on Lake Natron have created a stunning spectacle for the filmmakers behind The Crimson Wing, but this could fool you into thinking that this species is safe from impact of human interference.
However they have been under major threat from proposals in the past to build a soda ash extraction plant nearby. The impact of this development would have had a devastating effect on the sensitive natural balanced of the unique habitat provided by Lake Natron, and, in turn, a worrying knock on effect on the flamingos which live there and make up three quarters of the species’ world population. Conservationists remain constantly vigilant against the possibility of similar developments in the future.
We’re sure these amazing birds are set to become a hit with cinema goers – and let’s hope that the attention this film raises will ensure their story, like the best Hollywood tales, has a happy ending and plenty of sequels.