Great Indian Bustard

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

• 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)

• 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 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.