EXHIBITOR'S NOTE

ENGLISH / मराठी

Marine Life of Mumbai

This virtual shore of Mumbai lets you explore this unique ecosystem and meet some of its fascinating denizens from the comfort of your home. Come, join us on this shore walk!

Pollution, garbage, sewage, dirt, crowds. These are the words we often associate with our city’s shores.Yes, these problems do exist. But if you spare a moment to look a little more closely, you will find a rich, thriving ecosystem of marine life hidden in plain sight on these very shores. Corals, octopuses, sea slugs and more… The kinds of animals you would expect to see in some exotic location.

They’re all found right here in our own backyard. This virtual shore of Mumbai lets you explore this unique ecosystem and meet some of its fascinating denizens from the comfort of your home. Come, join us on this shore walk! Scroll down to the map below, explore it, and get to know the creatures that live here. Keep your eyes peeled - there are many that hide in plain sight!

CONTRIBUTORS

Abhishek Jamalabad Sarang Naik

मरिन लाईफ ऑफ मुंबई

या प्रदर्शनात आम्ही तुमच्यासाठी निर्माण केला आहे, एक आभासी समुद्र. याद्वारे तुमची एका अनोख्या जीवसृष्टीशी ओळख होईल. तुमच्या घरात बसून येथील किनार्‍यावरील स्थानिक पर्यावरणाची माहिती तुम्हाला मिळू शकेल. चला तर मग निघूया या सफरीला.

मुंबईचा समुद्र किनारा असं ऐकताच काय बरं उभं राहतं तुमच्या डोळ्यांसमोर? प्रदूषण, कचरा, सांडपाणी, घाण, गर्दी. या सर्व गोष्टींचा संबंध आपण आपल्या शहराच्या किनारपट्टीशी जोडतो.

या समस्या आहेतच, पण जरा वेळ काढून लक्ष देऊन बघा. तुम्हाला संपन्न, जोम धरू पहाणारी जल संपदा या किनार्‍याच्या कुशीत दिसून येईल. प्रवाळ, ऑक्टोपस, समुद्रातील गोगलगायी, एखाद्या प्रसिद्ध समुद्र किनारी पाहायला मिळतील असे अनेक प्राणी तुम्हाला इथे मुंबईच्या समुद्र किनारी सापडतील.

आपल्या शहराला तीन प्रकारची किनार पट्टी लाभली आहे- खडकाळ, वालुकामय आणि थोडी दलदल असलेली. यावरच आधारित हा नकाशा तीन भागात विभागला आहे. यापैकी कोणत्याही एका प्रकारच्या किनार्‍याला निवडून तुम्ही त्याबद्दल अधिक जाणून घेऊ शकता. त्यातील एखाद्या जीवाला निवडून तुम्ही त्याबद्दल अधिक माहिती मिळवू शकाल.

योगदान

अभिषेक जमालाबाद सारंग नाईक

Sandy Shore

Think of seashores, and most people will likely picture sandy shores, more popularly known as beaches. They are by far the most often visited of all the habitats you see here. But besides the sports, sightseeing, partying and relaxing in the sun, there is also a lot of wildlife here. Go closer to explore some of it!

Pearly Sea Anemone

Sand Bubbler Crab

Decorator Worm

Squid Egg Mass

Leather Donax Clam

Spiral Melongena

Nassa Mud Snail

Ipomoea

Horned Ghost Crab

Sunset Siliqua

Stingray

Hermit Crab

Rocky Shore

Rocky shores often lie right at the edge of sandy shores, but are somehow far less known to people. Often, they are built upon or otherwise regarded as seaside wastelands. But there is a plethora of biodiversity here, much of it unique to this ecosystem. The creatures here have specific spots to live in, so they’re also easier to find than their counterparts on other shores. Take a look yourself!

Porcelain Crab

Sea Sponge

Bombay Sea Slug

Colonial Cup Corals

Solitary Cup Coral

Sea Plume

Octopus

Oysters

Barnacles

Highfin Moray Eel

Seven-armed Coral Star

Hydroid

Elysia hirasei

Anjuna Anemone

Mottled Lightfoot Crab

Goby

Nerite Snail

Crustose Coralline Algae

Green Button Polyp

Arabian Cowry

Golden Snapper

Cratena

Clapping Crab

Maroon Rock Crab

Hermit Crab

Planaxis Snail

Dixons Rock Anemone

Muddy Shore

The muddy shore, also called a mudflat, is found where a river empties into the sea. The river deposits silt and organic matter carried from inland, making the soil here very clayey and nutrient rich. Consequently, marine life here is as unique as its habitat. The ground here is not easy to walk on, but here’s a virtual version that’s waiting to be explored. (Some sandy shores close to river mouths can have muddy soil mixed in too, and you can find some of these creatures there as well.)