Species in News: Great Indian Bustard (GIB)
Context:
A Great Indian Bustard chick recently hatched in the wild in Gujarat's Kutch region for the first time in a decade.
This historic milestone was achieved through a novel conservation measure called the "Jumpstart Approach."
Because the wild GIB population in Kutch had lost all its males, a fertile, captive-bred egg was transported 770 km from a conservation breeding centre in Sam, Rajasthan, to Naliya, Gujarat, via a specially created, halt-free road corridor.
About the Species and Ecological Significance:
Scientifically known as Ardeotis nigriceps, the GIB is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, weighing up to 15-18 kg and standing about a metre tall.
It is easily distinguished by its prominent black crown contrasting with a pale neck and head.
The bird is considered the flagship species and a primary indicator of the overall ecological health of India's arid and semi-arid grassland ecosystems.
Driven to the brink of extinction primarily by habitat loss and powerline collisions, the wild global population has plummeted to roughly 200 individuals.
In parallel, successful conservation breeding centres in Rajasthan currently house a captive population of 73 birds.
Distribution:
While historically widespread across the Indian subcontinent, its core population is now almost entirely restricted to the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.
Small, highly fragmented populations barely survive in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Legal Protection Status:
The species receives the highest tiers of legal protection both domestically and internationally:
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
CITES: Appendix I
CMS (Convention on Migratory Species): Appendix I.