Two captive-bred Great Indian Bustards released into wild in Rajasthan under conservation efforts

The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is one of the heaviest flying birds and is considered a flagship species of grassland ecosystems. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, included in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and falls under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The primary threats to the GIB include habitat loss (conversion of grasslands to agriculture), collisions with power lines, and hunting. The recent release of captive-bred birds is a crucial step in the species recovery program, which aims to bolster the critically low wild population. UPSC often tests knowledge on species' conservation status, their habitats (like the Desert National Park), and specific threats they face. The success of this captive breeding and rewilding program, managed by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Rajasthan Forest Department, highlights the importance of targeted, science-based conservation interventions for critically endangered species.

The conservation effort for the GIB exemplifies successful collaborative governance in environmental protection. The initiative is a joint venture involving the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the state-level Rajasthan Forest Department, and the scientific expertise of the Wildlife Institute of India. This multi-stakeholder approach is essential for complex conservation challenges that require funding, administrative support, and specialized scientific research. Furthermore, the program aligns with India's commitments under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), often referred to as the Bonn Convention. In recent years, the Supreme Court has also intervened to mandate the undergrounding of power lines in GIB habitats to prevent fatal collisions, demonstrating the role of the judiciary in driving conservation policy. For Mains, this case study can be used to illustrate the necessity of coordinated action between central and state governments, scientific bodies, and the judiciary in achieving biodiversity targets.

The rewilding of the GIB highlights the specific ecological characteristics of the Thar Desert ecosystem. The Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, is the last stronghold of the GIB and represents a unique, fragile arid ecosystem characterized by sand dunes, craggy rocks, and compact salt lake bottoms. The DNP is crucial not only for the GIB but also for other desert fauna like the chinkara, desert fox, and various raptors. The conservation of the GIB acts as an umbrella strategy; by protecting the GIB and its habitat, the entire grassland and desert ecosystem is inadvertently conserved. UPSC Geography questions frequently focus on specific national parks, their unique flora and fauna, and the climatic conditions that define them. Understanding the geographical distribution of the GIB—once found across the Indian subcontinent but now restricted to isolated pockets in Rajasthan and Gujarat—is vital for Prelims.