Understanding the Great Indian Bustard: A Conservation Success Story

FAQs about the Great Indian Bustard

1. What is the significance of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB)?

The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is a large, ground-dwelling bird endemic to India. It is critically endangered, with fewer than 150 individuals left in the wild. This majestic bird is the state bird of Rajasthan and serves as an ecological indicator for grassland health.

2. What milestone has India achieved in April 2025?

In April 2025, India successfully hatched its third GIB chick through artificial insemination at the Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. This achievement cements India’s global leadership in conservation breeding of this species.

3. When was the first successful artificial hatching of a GIB?

The first successful artificial hatching occurred in October 2024 at the Sudasari Breeding Centre, Jaisalmer. This was the first such success globally for the species.

4. How is artificial insemination carried out in bustards?

• Male bustards are trained to produce semen, often using dummy birds.
• The sperm is collected and used to inseminate female bustards artificially.
• Fertilized eggs are then incubated in controlled conditions until hatching.

5. Which international organisation supported India’s efforts?

The International Fund for Houbara Conservation (Abu Dhabi) provided technology and training, fostering global cooperation in bustard conservation.

6. Where are the conservation breeding centres located?

The main centres are in Sam and Ramdevra in Rajasthan, under the Bustard Recovery Programme supported by the central and Rajasthan governments.

7. What are the threats to the Great Indian Bustard?

• Habitat loss and fragmentation from agriculture, roads, and wind turbines.
• Collision with power lines, a leading cause of mortality.
• Low reproductive rates.
• Hunting, especially in earlier decades.

8. What government initiatives support GIB conservation?

• Project Great Indian Bustard (Rajasthan, 2013) for habitat and community-based protection.
• Species Recovery Programme under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme.
• Conservation breeding as part of an “insurance population” strategy.
• Bird diverters on power lines to reduce collisions.
• Protected Areas like Desert National Park (Rajasthan) and Kutch Bustard Sanctuary (Gujarat).

9. How does artificial breeding help?

• It provides a controlled setting for increasing population numbers.
• It allows researchers to build a captive insurance population.
• It increases genetic diversity and survival rates through scientific monitoring.
• It creates a future-ready group for safe release into restored grassland habitats.

10. What challenges remain despite the breakthrough?

• Insufficient wild habitats suitable for reintroduction.
• Securing long-term survival of captive-bred birds.
• Need for sustained funding and political support.
• Preventing inbreeding and ensuring genetic robustness.