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Great Indian Bustard

Posted 22 Aug 2024

Updated 29 Aug 2024

4 min read

Why in the News?

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) approved funds for next phase (from 2024 to 2029) of Bustard Recovery Program.

Bustard Recovery Program

  • Coverage of species: Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and Lesser Florican.
    • There are four bustard species present in India, other two are Bengal Florican; Macqueen's Bustard.
  • Background: Plans to recover the species first started in 2013 under the National Bustard Recovery Plan, which later gave way to the Bustard Recovery Project in 2016.
    • The Bustard Recovery Project commenced for an initial period of five years (2016-21) and now extended till 2033.
  • Current Status: As of now, around 140 GIBs and fewer than 1,000 Lesser Floricans are surviving in the wild.
  • Project implemented by: Wildlife Institute of India
  • Funding agency: National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Authority
  • Partner agencies: Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Rajasthan Forest Department Gujarat & Maharashtra Forest Departments
A Great Indian Bustard stands tall in a lush green field. The bird has a long neck, brown body with white underparts, and a slight crest on its head. The background is blurred, highlighting the bird in its natural habitat.
  • Project Objectives:
    • Conservation Breeding: Secure ex-situ populations of great Indian bustard and lesser florican.
    • Applied Research: Prioritize conservation areas, characterize threats, assess population and habitat status, and evaluate management effectiveness.
  • Capacity-Building and Outreach: Improve protection enforcement, sensitize stakeholders, and incentivize local land use.
  • Pilot Implementation of Surgical Habitat Management: Demonstrate best practices through experimental interventions.
  • Collaborating agencies: 
    • Bombay Natural History Society: A pan-India wildlife research organization, has been promoting the cause of nature conservation since 1883.
      • Conservation of nature, primarily biological diversity through action based on research, education and public awareness.
    • Others: International Fund for Houbara Conservation / Reneco; The Corbett Foundation; Humane Society International; Jivdaya Charitable Trust; The Grasslands Trust.

About Great Indian Bustard (GIB)

A colorful infographic titled "Threats to GIBs" with six sections: Predation by domestic and wild animals, Power lines causing collisions, Poaching for meat and body parts, Human disturbance affecting habitats, Use of organophosphate pesticides, and Climate change impacts.
  • Conservation Status
    • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I and IV 
    • IUCN: Critically Endangered
    • CITES: Appendix I
  • Key Characteristics
    • Habitat: Agro-grassland bird endemic to the Indian Subcontinent.
      • In India, their population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small population occur in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
    • Food Habit: Omnivorous bird, they feed on grass seeds, insects like grasshoppers and beetles, and sometimes even small rodents and reptiles.
    • Others
      • GIB lacks frontal vision
      • Breed mostly during the monsoon season when females lay a single egg on open ground.
  • Importance of GIBs: Considered as indicators of the health of grasslands or pulse of grassland ecosystem.

 

About Lesser Florican

A Lesser Florican bird, with a distinctive black and white plumage, stands amid tall green grasses. The image highlights the bird's unique appearance and presence in its natural grassy habitat. The background is a lush, green field.
  • Lesser florican (Sypheotides indicus) is the smallest bird of the bustard family (Otididae).
  • Conservation Status
    • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I and IV
    • IUCN: Critically Endangered
  • Habitat: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh.
  • Threats: Pesticide usage in breeding grounds; Mismanagement of agro-grasslands through untimely grass harvest, excessive livestock grazing, etc.

Steps taken for GIBs

  • Declaration of Protected areas: Key habitats designated as National Parks/sanctuaries for e.g., Desert National Park, (Rajasthan), Naliya Grassland (Lala Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary)
  • Species Recovery Programme: GIBs has been identified for conservation efforts under the ‘Species Recovery Programme’, which is a centrally Sponsored Scheme for development of Wildlife Habitats.
    • Providing financial and technical assistance to states for GIB protection.
  • Conservation breeding: Captive population development for wild release and in-situ conservation support.
    • For e.g- GIB conservation breeding centres are functioning in Rajasthan’s Sam, Ramdevra.
  • Legal protection: Included in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibit hunting.
  • Capacity Development: Such as training in artificial incubation and insemination techniques.
    • For e.g- Personnel were trained in artificial breeding techniques at National Avian Research Centre (NARC), Abu Dhabi in 2022-23.
  • Supreme Court Cases:  Apex Court also monitoring the GIB and Lesser Florican conservation programme and a petition seeking protection of the two species is pending before it.

Conclusion

Saving the Great Indian Bustard requires multi-level collaboration. This effort extends beyond a single species, aiming to protect whole ecosystems. Addressing complex challenges demands coordinated action for long-term conservation success.

  • Tags :
  • Great Indian Bustard (GIB)
  • Bustard Recovery Program
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