Environment News

GIB Conservation in Rajasthan

October 4 , 2026 12 hrs 0 min 38 0

For the first time, captive-bred Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks are set to be released into the wild at Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
The status IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (CR); scientific name: Ardeotis nigriceps.
Project GIB, launched in 2013, has bred at least 98 GIBs at conservation centres in Sam and Ramdevra, Jaisalmer.
The wild population is estimated at only 120–150 birds, with about 130 ± 20 in Rajasthan.
Major threats include habitat loss, poaching and collisions with power lines.
GIB is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and has a slow reproduction rate, laying eggs once every 1–2 years.