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Great Indian Bustard Population Hits 70 with New Chicks in Rajasthan

India's captive breeding program for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard has reached a significant milestone with the hatching of two new chicks, bringing the total captive population to 70. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced the achievement, noting one chick resulted from natural mating and the other from artificial insemination. The next phase involves a planned "soft release" of some captive-bred birds into the wild later this year. The project, which has improved survival rates by 20-30%, operates under scientific management supported by the central government.

Key Points: Great Indian Bustard Captive Population Reaches 70 Milestone

  • Two new chicks hatch in Rajasthan
  • Captive population now at 70 birds
  • One chick from natural mating, one from AI
  • Soft release into wild planned for this year
2 min read

Project Great Indian Bustard: Captive population hits 70 as two new chicks hatch in Rajasthan

India's Project GIB hits a milestone as two new chicks hatch, bringing the captive population of the critically endangered bird to 70.

"Another milestone achieved in Project GIB - Bhupender Yadav"

Jaipur, March 13

India's conservation efforts for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard have reached a significant milestone with the hatching of two new chicks at the Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan this week.

The development takes the captive population of the species to 70 birds for the first time since the launch of the breeding programme.

Announcing the update on Friday, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav described the moment as a proud achievement under Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB), which has now entered the fourth year of its captive breeding initiative.

According to the ministry, the two chicks hatched through different methods, one through natural mating and the other through artificial insemination.

"Another milestone achieved in Project GIB," Bhupender Yadav wrote in a post on the social media platform X, noting that the latest development reflects steady progress in the programme. With the addition of the two chicks, the total number of Great Indian Bustards currently under captive care has reached 70.

The minister also said that the next phase of the project will involve the "soft release" of some captive-bred chicks into the wild later this year.

This step is expected to mark a new and challenging stage in the conservation effort, aimed at strengthening the species' population in its natural habitat.

Bhupender Yadav congratulated officials from the Rajasthan Forest Department for their work in achieving the milestone, acknowledging their role in implementing the conservation programme.

Images shared alongside the announcement illustrate the careful methods used in captive rearing. They include a newly hatched chick inside an incubator, a handler using a feeding puppet to care for a young bird, and a freshly laid egg at the facility.

These techniques, based on peer-reviewed avian conservation practices, have helped improve survival rates by 20-30 per cent in comparable breeding programmes, as per a press release shared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The project operates under the broader environmental vision supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with officials expressing confidence that continued scientific management will help secure the future of the Great Indian Bustard in India.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So heartwarming to read this. The image of the handler using a puppet to feed the chick shows how much care is going into this. Hope the soft release later this year goes well. We must protect our endangered species.
R
Rohit P
Good step, but the real challenge is their natural habitat. Power lines in Rajasthan are still a major threat to these birds. Conservation breeding is one part, but protecting their home is equally important. Hope the government addresses that with equal urgency.
S
Sarah B
As a birdwatcher, this is the best news I've heard all week! The Great Indian Bustard is critically endangered, so every new chick is a victory. The use of both natural mating and artificial insemination shows great scientific approach. Well done!
V
Vikram M
Proud moment for Indian wildlife conservation. It's projects like these that give me hope. The survival rate improvement of 20-30% is no small feat. Let's support our forest officials and scientists.
K
Kavya N
Wonderful! 🎉 My children learned about the GIB in school and were worried it might go extinct. Can't wait to tell them about the two new chicks. This is how we teach the next generation to value biodiversity.

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