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After almost a decade of silence in the state of Gujarat’s grasslands, a small yet mighty indicator of life has re-emerged. The birth of a Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chick in the Kutch region of Gujarat has created history in the world of conservation. The birth of this chick has marked the revival of hope and innovation in the world of conservation.
The GIB is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world and was once found in large numbers in the arid and semi-arid grasslands of India. Today, the presence of this majestic bird has been reduced to small fragmented populations in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
This bird has been classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The GIB has faced a bleak scenario in recent times. Its numbers in India have dwindled to fewer than 150 individuals. The situation in Gujarat was more critical than in the rest of the country. The Kutch region in Gujarat was home to only three female GIBs.
The reasons for this decline are well documented but difficult to reverse: rapid habitat loss, degradation of native grasslands, fatal collisions with overhead power lines, and an inherently low reproductive rate. The bird lays only one egg at a time, making each successful hatch critically important for population recovery.
This is the background against which the recent hatching of a GIB chick in Gujarat has been hailed as a success story brought about by the “Jumpstart Approach” in conservation.
In the first such initiative in the country, conservationists collected a fertile and partially incubated egg from the Sam region in Rajasthan, which has a relatively stable GIB population. The egg was then transported to the Naliya grasslands in Gujarat in a portable incubator over a distance of almost 770 kilometers in about 19 hours.
The fertile egg was then transferred to the natural nest of a female wild bustard in Gujarat. The success of this sensitive exercise depends on the accurate execution of the task and the understanding of the breeding habits of the bird.
This initiative has been undertaken in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the forest departments of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The experience has underscored the fact that the challenges in conservation efforts, especially in the case of highly endangered species like the GIB, need to be addressed in an innovative manner.
The importance of this single chick goes way beyond its mere survival. It has been recorded that the last successful breeding of the GIB in Gujarat took place in 2016. Since then, the lack of breeding has led to the fear of extinction in Gujarat.
This success is a turning point. First, it proves that the grasslands in Gujarat still have the potential for GIB breeding, provided some targeted interventions are made. Second, it proves the ‘Jumpstart Approach’ as a viable method for species survival, opening the gates for its application in similar cases.
Lastly, it is crucial because it has boosted the morale of scientists, forest officials, and the people in Gujarat who have worked hard for the survival of this species.
One of the best things about this initiative is the collaboration between different organisations and states. Wildlife conservation in India has always faced different challenges, especially when it involves different states. The success in transporting the GIB egg and its hatching proves that these challenges can always be overcome with commitment. This model of collaboration could serve as a blueprint for future conservation efforts, especially for species whose habitats span political boundaries.
Though the birth of the chick is a moment to celebrate, it doesn’t take away the enormity of the challenges yet to be overcome.
The GIB continues to face existential challenges. Its population remains critically low. Additionally, the absence of breeding males in Gujarat creates a limitation to the natural population’s growth. Habitat deterioration continues to plague the species because of land use change, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development.
The most pressing threat to the species might be the power lines. Research has confirmed that collisions with power transmission lines are a major cause of death for the GIB. While efforts to cover or move the lines underground have been ongoing, the implementation remains patchy.
However, the solution to the power line problem also has to involve the larger picture. This would entail the involvement of the communities, the maintenance and development of grasslands, and other factors.
The birth of a GIB chick in Gujarat marks a momentous occasion in the otherwise bleak Indian bird conservation scene. While the odds against the species have been high, the birth of the chick demonstrates the power of science and collaborative action in the face of overwhelming challenges. However, the road to the species’ recovery will be long and will take many more such moments to reach a stage where the bird might be said to have been saved. Nevertheless, the birth of the chick and the prospects of the species’ recovery offer a fragile but powerful symbol of hope.
For now, the sight of a young bustard taking its first steps in the grasslands of Kutch offers a powerful message: extinction is not inevitable, and hope, when nurtured carefully, can take flight once again.
Akshit Kukreti works with the Himmotthan Society in Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth