Race to save the great Indian bustard
Hrishika Sharma, a scientist at Sam Conservation Centre, Rajasthan, feeds pellets to GIB chicks named Sofia Qureshi, Vyomika Singh, and Vikram Misri..jpg
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Deccan Herald
2 days ago
- Deccan Herald
Race to save the great Indian bustard
Researcher Swati Sen looks for GIBs in the grassland at Desert National Park in Jailsalmer Hrishika Sharma, a scientist at Sam Conservation Centre, Rajasthan, feeds pellets to GIB chicks named Sofia Qureshi, Vyomika Singh, and Vikram
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Forest dept starts egg replacement pilot to boost GIB conservation
Jaisalmer: In a bid to conserve the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), locally known as Godawan, scientists in Jaisalmer have launched a pilot egg replacement experiment. Conducted by the forest department at Desert National Park, the project involves replacing wild eggs with dummy ones and relocating the real eggs for artificial incubation. Two eggs were initially collected from nests in the Desert National Park and incubated at the conservation centre in Ramdevra. They were returned to their original nests one to two days before hatching, allowing the chicks to emerge and be raised under natural conditions by their mothers. Officials said this method aims to improve survival rates without disturbing the birds' maternal instincts. District forest officer Brijmohan Gupta said the initiative serves three key scientific objectives- protecting eggs from natural predators like jackals and dogs, ensuring successful hatching under controlled conditions, and promoting genetic exchange between GIB populations in Jaisalmer and Pokhran, whose intermingling has declined. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo The egg replacement process is carried out by a trained team to ensure the female bird continues to incubate the dummy egg without abandoning the nest. Once the real eggs are incubated in a secure, temperature-controlled environment, they are carefully returned just before hatching. Although commonly used in international conservation efforts, this technique is being implemented for the first time in Rajasthan. The forest department is monitoring the results closely, with plans to expand the project if it proves effective. With only a few GIBs left in the wild, this pilot project marks a hopeful step towards reviving the species' population. The department aims to scale up the initiative in the coming years to ensure more successful hatchings and reintroductions into the bird's natural habitat.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
DNP unit welcomes two more GIB chicks
1 2 Jaisalmer: Scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have successfully bred two more Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks through artificial insemination at the Sudasari Center of Desert National Park, Jaisalmer. This achievement marks the sixth chick born entirely through artificial methods under the project. The latest additions to the endangered species arrived when a chick hatched Thursday from an egg laid by female bustard "Sharky," followed by another successful hatching on April 27 from female "Aman." These births are part of a larger success story, with the project welcoming 15 new chicks in 2025 alone. Dr Suthirto Dutta, GIB specialist and coordinator at WII, said that four captive-bred chicks were added to the population in the last two weeks, with successful hatchings on April 19, 23, 27, and May 1. The breakthrough was achieved using artificial insemination technology and expertise gained from Abu Dhabi's International Fund for Houbara Conservation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Regain confidence with WAYT-less®. This Rapid Dissolve Tablet could support your weight loss. Nu Image Medical Shop Now Undo "This is not just a biological experiment's success but a milestone in giving a new lease of life to this rare bird on the brink of extinction," said Dutta. BM Gupta, deputy conservator of forests at DNP, confirmed that sperm from a male GIB named "Tom" at the Ramdevra Breeding Center was used to successfully inseminate both females. The total population at WII's Ramdevra and Sudasari breeding centres has now reached 59 birds.
