The Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) were sighted deep in Pakistan’s Cholistan desert which has given rise to speculation that the endangered birds might have flown across the international border from India’s Desert National Park (DNP).
- As Rajasthan shares the international border with Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces, it is suspected that the GIBs might have flown across to the neighbouring country’s desert amid fears that they could become easy prey for the poachers there.
Threats to GIB
- The biggest threat to their shrinking habitat of GIB has been industrialisation, mining, and intensive agricultural practices. The recent WII report noted that data indicated that the GIB prefers open grasslands and agricultural fields of sorghum, groundnuts, and pigeon pea.
- Their survival is also threatened by stray dogs which are known to attack the bustard’s eggs and young ones. Once every two years it lays one or two eggs. sometimes eggs get eaten up and then infant mortality rate is very high.
- High tension power lines are also among the biggest threat for bustards at least in the state of Rajasthan. Bustards are being burnt by transmission lines.
Conservation of Great Indian Bustard
- The Great Indian Bustard is listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby, according it highest degree of legal protection from hunting.
- Important habitats of Great Indian Bustards are designated as National Parks/Sanctuaries for their better protection.
- The species has been identified for conservation efforts under the component ‘Species Recovery Programme’ of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)-Development of Wildlife Habitat.
- Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Development of Wildlife Habitat for providing better protection to Great Indian Bustard and its habitat.
- A site for establishment of a Conservation Breeding Centre for the Great Indian Bustard has been identified at Kota District, Rajasthan in consultations.
- The Great Indian Bustard has been included in the Appendix I of Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) of the basis of proposal submitted by India.
- It was also the mascot of the prestigious 13th CMS Conference of Parties held in Gandhinagar giving wider publicity for the conservation of the species.
