The Great Indian Bustard (GIB), a critically endangered bird native to India, recently made headlines when two of its kind were slain by hunters in a protected region of Punjab’s Cholistan in Pakistan. As the State bird of Rajasthan, the GIB symbolizes the health of grassland ecosystems and holds significant importance in its native habitats.
The Great Indian Bustard and Its Habitat
Predominantly spotted in Rajasthan and Gujarat, the GIB is a significant member of the grassland species. Smaller populations have been recorded in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. This bird species is continually threatened by a constellation of hazards including power transmission lines, hunting, habitat loss, and alterations due to widespread agricultural expansion.
Protection Status of the Great Indian Bustard
The GIB has been classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Furthermore, it is listed in Appendix 1 of both the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). In India, it is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
India’s Concerns for The Great Indian Bustard
The GIB inhabits the Cholistan desert, a terrain strikingly similar to Rajasthan’s Desert National Park (DNP), where the last remaining wild population of this bird species is found. DNP forms part of the mighty Thar Desert and is located near the towns of Jaisalmer and Barmer. The park was declared a National Park in 1981, primarily to protect the GIB’s habitat.
Because Rajasthan borders Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces, the GIBs face a potent threat from hunters in these regions. Such hunting activities would not only reduce India’s GIB population drastically but also disrupt the desert ecosystem significantly.
Government Initiatives for Conservation of the Great Indian Bustard
Efforts are underway to safeguard this endangered species under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, a species recovery program administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The MoEFCC has also introduced a program titled ‘Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian Bustard-An Integrated Approach,’ which aims to establish a captive population of GIBs. Once a healthy captive population is established, chicks will be released into the wild to boost their numbers.
The Rajasthan government has also initiated ‘Project Great Indian Bustard’ to foster the species’ growth. This project focuses on building breeding enclosures for the GIBs and developing infrastructure to lower human pressure on their habitats.