Project Great Indian Bustard Captive Breeding Programme enters 4th year with Two New Chicks

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on 13 March informed that Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has entered the fourth year of its captive breeding programme with the hatching of two new chicks this week, taking the total number of birds in captivity to 70.

The minister said the chicks were hatched at the Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan, a key facility established for the recovery of the critically endangered species. He added that some of the captive-bred chicks will be “soft released” into the wild this year, marking an important step in restoring the species in its natural habitat.

Project Great Indian Bustard

The Project Great Indian Bustard was launched on 5 June 2013 by the Government of Rajasthan with the aim of conserving the remaining population of the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), locally known as Godawan. The programme focuses on habitat protection, captive breeding, and increasing the species’ population in the wild.

istribution and Habitat

The Great Indian Bustard is now largely confined to Rajasthan and Gujarat, while small populations are also found in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

It is primarily a grassland species, often considered an indicator of the health of grassland ecosystems. Conservationists describe it as the “pulse of grasslands”, highlighting the ecological importance of grassland habitats that are frequently neglected and often misclassified as wastelands.

Breeding and Behaviour

The species breeds mainly during the monsoon season, when the female lays a single egg on open ground. The male does not participate in incubation or rearing, and the chick remains with the mother until the next breeding season.

Although the bird can fly, it is not a strong or agile flier because of its heavy body weight (around 15–18 kg).

Conservation Status

The Great Indian Bustard is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is also the state bird of Rajasthan. The species faces threats from habitat loss, power line collisions, and degradation of grasslands, making conservation efforts like the captive breeding programme crucial for its survival.

Source: PIB