Latest news with #GIBs
Deccan Herald
2 days ago
- Science
- 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
- Science
- 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
18-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Waterhole census in DNP records rise in GIB count
Jaisalmer: The wildlife census conducted by forest department using the waterhole method from June 11 to June 12 has spotted 73 Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) in the Desert National Park (DNP), including 4 chicks in enclosures of breeding centres at Sudasari and Ramdevra. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a similar survey in 2024, 64 bustards were seen, while no count was conducted in 2023 due to heavy rains. In 2022, 42 bustards were recorded. The sighting of a larger number of GIBs, a species that is on the brink of extinction, has enthused wildlife lovers, who point out that the GIB population is increasing both in the wild and at the breeding centres at Sudasari and Ramdevra. B M Gupta, DFO of Desert National Park, stated that joint efforts by Union and state govts, along with scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India, are yielding promising results. The census, which lasted 24 hours, involved counting wildlife at natural and artificial water sources. At DNP, the census was held at 52 water points. Along with 73 GIBs, 47 desert cats, 125 foxes, 120 desert foxes, 2,133 chinkaras, 150 vultures, 106 cranes, and approximately 250 peafowls were spotted. DFO in Jaisalmer, Kumar Shubham, stated this year's census showed a 20% increase in the total wildlife population across the six ranges of Jaisalmer forest division.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Away from hostile borders, bustards find home in Ajmer
On May 9, two days after Pakistan launched drones and missiles targeting various locations in India — most were brought down by India's air defence system — India moved some precious cargo from Jaisalmer, around 10km from the Pakistan border, to Ajmer, roughly 500km to the east. The live cargo, nine Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) chicks, were moved in special vehicles to a centre that may now be the second captive breeding centre of a species that has been reduced to a few hundred individuals. Captive breeding — 25 chicks were hatched from captive breeding efforts in the past year alone — has emerged as a possible way to combat (or at least defer), the imminent extinction of the species, and in the wake of the drone attacks, the Rajasthan forest department decided to provide a second home to captive bred GIBs in Ajmer, moving some from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) run captive bred centre in Jaisalmer. Senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute, Sutirtha Dutta, said the GIB chicks were shifted to Ajmer on May 8 for 'security' reasons. 'As the Ramdevra Centre is located near the border, and in light of the tense situation and massive drone activity, the relocation was necessary to ensure the birds' safety and protection.' Dutta added that nine chicks were shifted on May 8, and there were plans to relocate the remaining ones in the following weeks. However, the plan has been postponed with the two sides agreeing to a ceasefire. On the morning of May 7, India struck at nine terror hubs in Pakistan, a response to the killing of 26 Indians in a targeted attack by terrorists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22. Pakistan responded by launching waves of drones and missiles at civilian and military targets in India. Indian forces repulsed these attacks and struck back, inflicting major damage on Pakistani military installations including air bases. On May 10, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations called up his Indian counterpart requesting a cessation of hostilities. According to Dutta, the chicks, aged between five and 20 days were transported in specially designed soft-suspension vehicles to ensure their comfort and safety. He added that the transportation was conducted under the supervision of expert handlers, with a dedicated team of trainers accompanying the chicks to ensure their well-being. He added that bringing the chicks back is not only challenging but also unsafe. 'We are exploring the option of whether we can keep them there permanently or return them once the situation stabilizes,' he said. Brijmohan Gupta, deputy conservator of forest at the desert national park (DNP) in Jaisalmer, said, 'They are discussing the possibility of keeping the chicks there to provide a second home for them.' He added a final decision will be taken in a few days. Dutta said the choice of Arwar village in Ajmer district was strategic as it has already hosts the Lesser Florican Conservation Centre and is equipped with the necessary infrastructure for handling sensitive conservation operations. Arwar village hosts India's first Lesser Florican Conservation Breeding Centre, a vital initiative aimed at saving one of the country's most endangered grassland birds. Developed jointly by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Rajasthan forest department, the centre aims to reverse the drastic decline of the Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus), known for its dramatic courtship leaps during the monsoon. In 2023, the centre achieved the successful hatching of 11 Lesser Florican chicks—a landmark moment in the species' recovery. This was the first time such a number of hatchings occurred in captivity in India, offering hope for increasing the bird's critically low population, currently estimated to be under 250 in the wild. The population of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard under India's national breeding programme has doubled from its founding number in just two years. On May 9, the programme marked the hatching of its 18th chick of the year, with nine of them born through artificial insemination—a ground breaking achievement in avian conservation. The remaining chicks were born naturally under controlled, captive conditions, officials said. Since it began in June 2019, the Bustard Recovery Programme has successfully reared 62 birds in total from wild-collected eggs and through captive breeding efforts. Currently, the Ramdevra Breeding Centre in Jaisalmer houses 29 birds, the Sam Centre holds 24, and nine birds have recently been transferred to Arwar, Ajmer.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Rajasthan: After Jaisalmer, Ajmer might be new home for Great Indian Bustards
Barmer: Ajmer may become the second home of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustards (GIBs), following safety concerns along the India-Pakistan border amid heightened tensions between the two now, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) operated a captive breeding centre in Jaisalmer, located about 10 km from the Pakistan border, the only habitat for GIBs. A day after drone sightings were reported on May 8 in Jaisalmer, apart from Ramgarh, Pokhran, and Barmer in Rajasthan, the forest department relocated nine newly hatched GIB chicks to the conservation centre at Arwar in Ajmer, senior WII scientist Sutirtha Dutta said. 'As the Ramdevra Centre is located near the border, and in light of the tense situation and massive drone activity, the relocation was necessary to ensure the birds' safety and protection. We are exploring the option of whether we can keep them at the Arwar Centre permanently or return them to Jaisalmer once the situation stabilises,' Dutta said. Arwar was chosen as it already hosts the Lesser Florican Conservation Centre and is equipped with the necessary infrastructure for handling such sensitive conservation operations. Developed jointly by the WII and the forest department, the centre aims to reverse the drastic decline of the country's most endangered grassland bird, Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus), known for its dramatic courtship leaps during the monsoon. Also Read: Great Indian Bustard conservation milestones: 3 born in a day, 4 in a week The GIB chicks, aged between five to 20 days, were transported in specially designed soft-suspension vehicles to ensure their comfort and safety. 'The transportation was conducted under the supervision of expert handlers, with a dedicated team of trainers accompanying the chicks to ensure their well-being throughout the journey,' Dutta said. 'Discussions on the possibility of keeping the GIB chicks there and provide a second home for them are going on. A final decision will be taken in the coming days,' deputy conservator of forest at the Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer Brijmohan Gupta. Also Read: Boost for fight to save Great Indian Bustard as chick born through IVF The population of the critically endangered GIB under India's national breeding programme has doubled from its founding number in just two years. On May 9, 2025, the programme marked the hatching of its 18th chick of the year, with nine of them born through artificial insemination—a groundbreaking achievement in avian conservation. The remaining chicks were born naturally under controlled, captive conditions, officials said. Since the beginning in June 2019, the Bustard Recovery Programme has successfully reared 62 birds in total from wild-collected eggs and through captive breeding efforts, officials added.
