bbc.com
Saving the Great Indian Bustard
India's first successful hatching of a great Indian bustard chick via artificial insemination sparks hope for the critically endangered bird, but challenges remain in habitat preservation and rewilding efforts.
English
United Kingdom
HealthConservationWildlifeArtificial InseminationEndangered BirdsHabitat
Wildlife Institute Of IndiaSupreme Court Of India
Sumit DookiaAshish VyasRadheshyam Pemani Bishnoi
- What unique characteristics of the great Indian bustard make it vulnerable to extinction?
- The great Indian bustard has unique traits like poor frontal vision and laying only one egg every two years, making it vulnerable. These traits, combined with habitat loss and human intervention, increase its risk of extinction.
- What are the major factors contributing to the decline in the great Indian bustard population?
- Habitat loss, poaching, and collisions with power lines have drastically reduced the great Indian bustard population from over 1,000 in the 1960s to about 150 today. Most remaining birds are found in Rajasthan, facing threats from renewable energy development.
- What are the challenges involved in reintroducing captive-bred great Indian bustards into the wild?
- Two breeding centers in Rajasthan are working to boost the bustard population. However, birds born in captivity often imprint on humans, losing their survival instincts in the wild, making reintroduction challenging.
- What is the significance of the successful hatching of a great Indian bustard chick through artificial insemination?
- The great Indian bustard chick was successfully hatched through artificial insemination in Rajasthan, India. This breakthrough offers a crucial step towards saving the critically endangered bird by enabling the creation of a sperm bank.
- What are the key conservation efforts undertaken to protect the great Indian bustard, and what are the potential challenges?
- Conservation efforts include artificial insemination, captive breeding, and habitat protection. However, a Supreme Court decision that overturned an order to bury power lines in bustard habitats poses a significant setback to conservation.