For the first time, two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) were released into the wild at Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
The release is part of the Bustard Recovery Programme to conserve the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.
The programme is a joint effort of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Rajasthan Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
It has technical support from the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) and funding from the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (National CAMPA).
The release marks a step towards establishing a captive-breeding and wild-reintroduction programme for the species.