GIB Has New Ray of Hope
The Great Indian Bustard has been on the brink of extinction. The Great Indian Bustard (GIB), found mainly in the Indian subcontinent, is one of the heaviest flying birds. Globally, around 150 of birds are estimated to be surviving now. However, major conservation initiatives launched about four years ago is bringing a ray of hope.
Since June last year, nine GIB eggs (hatched) have been collected from the Desert National Park in Jaisalmer where a conservation centre has been set up and the chicks are doing well. Officials says, this is the largest number of hatchings that took place within the six-month frame by any GIB conservation programme in the world.
The GIB is known to eat harvested food grains, insects and fruit. The use of Chemical substance to protect from insecticides and pesticides in farms has badly hit their food habitat. Attacks by foxes and dogs, vanishing grasslands have contributed to the threat to the GIB’s existence.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and the Ministry of Environment (forest and Climate Change) are working towards saving the GIB. Special funds have been allotted by the Ministry to tune of Rs 33 crore, wherein a part is used to set up the incubation and chick-rearing centre in Jaisalmer.
The WII said extensive land surveys have been carried out to locate suitable habitats for the chicks, said the report submitted to the Ministry in November 2018. Officials have spotted 14 places on the basis of rainfall, accessibility, proximity to wild source, habitat and topographic suitability, availability of water, temperature, etc., and identified Sorsan as the site most conducive for their rearing. Soran will allow the birds to breed more frequently, unlike Jaisalmer which sees frequent droughts.
Female birds reach sexual maturity between the ages of 3 and 4, while males at age of 4-5 and live up to age of 15 to 16. Once in 1 or 2-years female lays their egg and the survival rate of the chicks is 60% to 70%. “Being such long-lived and slow reproducing species, adult mortality remains high,” said the WII report. Once these birds are mature can produce offspring, if the habitats support their growth. Readying the required habitat will be key in the coming months and years.
According to the report, the bird was abundant in Nagpur, Amravati, Kutch, Solapur, Bellary and Koppal districts in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka.
High voltage power lines pose major threat to the GIB in India, and globally as well because the bird has poor frontal vision which restricts it from spotting power line early. The report revealed, “About 15% of the population (dies) due to the power lines in Jaisalmer alone. This, in comparison to the natural cause of deaths contributed only 4% to 5% cases.”
