Page 245 - Literati Bytes

A FLAME COLOURED BEAUTY! For flamingos, the algae, larvae and shrimps they

eat consist of a specific red- orange pigment called

Every year, around the month of Beta Carotene, in a high quantity. In their digestive

November, the western side of India is washed system, enzymes help break down the carotenoids

over with a bright wave of pink and orange. As into pigments that are absorbed by the fats in the

flocks of tourists ride over to the west, they liver and deposited in the feathers, thus the pink

experience the eternal haven of beauty and colour. The food of the flamingos is actually

peace. These migratory gifts are the wondrous exclusively carotenoid filled, so they can turn pink

birds called Flamingos!
without any difficulties. Hence, the next time

But every time a bright picture somebody asks you why a flamingo is pink; you have

reflecting the shades of a flamingo meet my a valid scientific answer, instead of a wild fantasy!

eyes, my mind wanders off to the thought: Why In the digestive system, enzymes break down

are flamingos pink? Well, for a long time, I carotenoidsinto pigments that are absorbed by fats

satisfied my young mind with the idea of in the liver and deposited, for flamingos, in the

someone painting these young birds pink. But as feathers and skin. To actually color the physical

I grew up, I realised that the actual reason was attributes, carotenoids must be ingested in very

a very interesting science. As it turns out, large amounts. Because the flamingo diet is nearly

Flamingos are not born pink. They develop the exclusively carotenoid-filled delicacies, the birds

colour as a reason of their daily diet!
have no problem coloring themselves. A human, on

the other hand, would need to eat quite a lot of

carrots (a food heavy in carotenoids, which also

gives the substance its name) to turn a shade of

orange.

Janhavi Dande (X)