The Mangrove Cell on Saturday conducted a waterbird census as part of the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) programme, a citizen science initiative that monitors waterbirds and wetlands across Asia. The AWC is organised by Wetlands International under the global International Waterbird Census and is conducted annually in January.

The census was carried out at four key waterbodies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region—Bhandup Pumping Station, Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, T S Chanakya Wetlands, and NRI Wetlands. Around 100 citizen volunteers, along with Forest Department staff, participated in the exercise. Participants were divided into four groups, each assigned to a site where waterbird species and their numbers were systematically recorded.