Rewilding the Great Indian Bustard: Key Challenges

Source: The post “Rewilding the Great Indian Bustard: Key Challenges” has been created based on “Rewilding the Great Indian Bustard: Key Challenges” published in “Indian Express” on 7th October 2026.

UPSC Syllabus: GS-3- Environment

Context: October 4 was a major milestone in the conservation of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), as two captive-bred male birds were released into the wild for the first time in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park near Jaisalmer.

About Great Indian Bustard (GIB)

1. The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is a critically endangered, large ground-dwelling bird found in savannahs, grasslands and deserts.
2. It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent.
3. It is found in Rajasthan (Desert National park), Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh in India and parts of Pakistan.
4. Its population has declined from an estimated 1,260–1,400 in the early 1970s to around 150 today, making its conservation an urgent priority.

Significance of the Rewilding Initiative

1. First captive-to-wild release: On October 4, 2026, two captive-bred male GIBs were released into the wild in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park (DNP), marking the first pilot rewilding effort.
2. Part of Project GIB: The initiative is being undertaken by the Centre, Wildlife Institute of India, and the governments of Rajasthan and Gujarat as part of long-term conservation efforts.
3. Conservation breeding: Since 2019, wild GIB eggs have been collected, artificially incubated and hand-reared at centres in Rajasthan. These efforts have resulted in the birth of 98 birds so far.
4. Scientific rewilding: Rewilding aviaries and soft-release facilities have been developed to allow young birds to adapt to natural conditions and reduce human imprinting.
5. Technology-based monitoring: The released birds have been fitted with transmitters that provide information on their location and movement patterns, allowing scientists to monitor their adaptation and survival.
6. Scope for replication: If successful, the Rajasthan experiment can provide valuable lessons for similar conservation efforts in other range states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Challenges to Long-term Recovery

1. Habitat loss: Conversion of open grasslands into croplands, mining areas and other land uses has considerably reduced suitable GIB habitats.
2. Power-line collisions: GIBs have poor frontal vision and heavy bodies, making it difficult for them to detect and avoid power lines. Collisions with renewable-energy infrastructure have therefore become a major threat.
3. Weak protection of grasslands: Unlike forests, grasslands are often not perceived as important protected ecosystems and remain vulnerable to degradation and conversion.
4. Unsuitable afforestation: Planting trees in natural grasslands can alter the open habitat required by GIBs. Experts have also warned against treating grasslands as degraded land that needs to be converted into forests.
5. Mining pressure: Limestone mining threatens the open and flat landscapes essential for GIBs. Proposed mining operations in the northern part of DNP are a concern.
6. Livelihood concerns: Grassland degradation and conservation measures also affect pastoralists and livestock-rearing communities, making community participation important.
7. Need for power-line mitigation: The Supreme Court has identified 14,013 sq km in Rajasthan and 740 sq km in Gujarat as GIB priority areas and ordered 80 km of power lines in Rajasthan to be buried underground by 2027–28. Delays in implementing these measures could undermine rewilding efforts.
8. Small and fragmented population: With only around 150 GIBs remaining in the wild, the populations outside Rajasthan, including those in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, face the risk of local extinction.

Way Forward

1. Protect and restore grasslands by preventing their conversion into croplands, mining areas and other incompatible land uses.
2. Complete power-line mitigation measures by undergrounding identified lines and developing designated power-line corridors.
3. Expand scientific rewilding after carefully evaluating the survival and adaptation of the birds released in Rajasthan.
4. Improve habitats in other range states before undertaking similar reintroduction programmes in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
5. Avoid inappropriate afforestation in natural grasslands and recognise grasslands as valuable ecosystems in their own right.
6. Regulate mining activities in critical GIB habitats to maintain the open landscapes required by the species.
7. Strengthen scientific monitoring through transmitters and regular tracking of released birds to assess their movement, survival and adaptation.
8. Involve local communities and pastoralists in grassland conservation so that ecological protection is balanced with livelihood requirements.
9. Adopt a landscape-level conservation approach by protecting the bird, its habitat and the ecological conditions necessary for its long-term survival.

Conclusion: The release of captive-bred Great Indian Bustards is a significant first step in rewilding the species, but captive breeding alone cannot ensure its recovery. The success of the programme will ultimately depend on protecting and restoring grasslands, reducing power-line collisions, regulating mining and involving local communities. Therefore, rewilding must be integrated with long-term habitat and ecosystem conservation to secure the future of the Great Indian Bustard.

Question: The rewilding of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) marks an important step towards conserving India’s critically endangered grassland bird. Discuss the significance of this initiative and examine the major challenges in its long-term recovery.

Source: Indian Express