By Kaniza Garari

The unseasonal deluge on May 13 not only inconvenienced the average Mumbaiikars, but also threw the ecological balance of the city out of gear.

Most Gulmohur trees in the city, which bloom to their full capacity in mid-May, lost their seeds in the sudden rains. The lily plants at the Borivli national park and elsewhere, bloomed before time because of the rains. However, as the ponds will not get a continuous supply of water in the next couple of weeks, unlike during the monsoons, the lilies will shrivel and die an early death.

According to officials at the Bombay Natural History Society, the worst impact of the pre-monsoon showers was on animals which came out of hibernation to breed. The heavy rains confused the animals, which felt that the monsoon had set in and began their breeding process. The worst effected of them, the frogs, fishes and crabs, mostly breed in fresh water bodies found in areas like Malad, Kandivili, Goregaon, Borivli, Ghatkopar and Deonar. Once the breeding season is over, the baby animals need continuous water to grow. "It is still peak summer season and the fresh water ponds and puddles are drying up, endangering the life of these species," explained Mr Issac of BNHS.

The female fresh water crabs, which come out from deep within the earth, give birth to a large number of baby crabs in fresh water. The survival of these crabs are now at stake due to the increasing heat.

"The onset of monsoon is understood from the arrival of the piedcrested cuckoo. The cuckoo, which comes four days in advance, signals the arrival of the rainy season," said Issac. The pre-monsoon showers failed to trick the cuckoo, which was yet to arrive.

Worried environmentalists say that breeding by plants and animal during the first heavy shower always puts a strain on their survival rate. And on top of this, if the monsoon is delayed, then the complete breeding cycle of the species will be lost.

bombaytimes@indiatimes.com