Dinoflagellate algae

• 17 Mar 2023

Currently, the small fishing village of Kumbalangi in Kerala, India is experiencing a natural neon phenomena caused by bioluminescence.

• Shrimp farms lining the backwaters of the village are glowing in electric blue and fluorescent green sparkles at night, attracting visitors from across Kerala and beyond.
• The phenomenon, known as 'kavaru' in Malayalam, has been going on for several weeks and is caused by dinoflagellate algae.
• The popularity of the bioluminescence has been partly due to its appearance in the Malayalam film "Kumbalangi Nights" in 2019, as well as social media exposure.
• Concerns have been raised by shrimp farmers about potential damage to their farms from visitors throwing stones and wood in their enthusiasm to see the glow.
• Kumbalangi is one of India's first eco-tourism villages and has been successful in tapping its tourism potential for the welfare of the local community that is dependent on fishing and allied activities.