Great Indian Bustard Chick Born in Kutch After 10 Years
Rare conservation success achieved through ‘Jumpstart Approach’ in Gujarat
- Great Indian Bustard chick born in Kutch after a decade
- Joint effort by Gujarat, Rajasthan forest departments and Wildlife Institute of India
- Fertile egg transported from Rajasthan and incubated in wild
- Ministers hail milestone in wildlife conservation
GG News Bureau
Gandhinagar, 29th March: In a breakthrough for wildlife conservation, a chick of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (locally known as ‘Ghorad’) has been born in the Abdasa region of Kutch, marking the first such success in the area in nearly a decade.
Announcing the development, Gujarat Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia credited the achievement to coordinated efforts by the forest departments of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Union Environment Ministry, and the Wildlife Institute of India.
He said the milestone was achieved under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, praising officials and field teams involved in the initiative.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav also lauded the collaborative effort, calling it a major step in conserving one of India’s most endangered bird species.
The success was made possible using an advanced conservation technique known as the “Jumpstart Approach.” Due to the absence of male birds in the Kutch population, eggs laid by female bustards remained infertile.
To address this, a fertile egg was sourced from a breeding centre in Rajasthan and transported to Kutch in a portable incubator during a 19-hour journey. The egg was then placed in the nest of a female bustard on March 22.
The bird naturally incubated the egg, leading to the birth of a healthy chick on March 26. Officials said the mother and chick are under continuous monitoring by field teams.
The initiative builds on Project Great Indian Bustard launched in 2016, inspired by a vision articulated in 2011 by Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister.
Breeding centres in Rajasthan, including Sam and Ramdevara, have played a key role in increasing the species’ population, with numbers now reaching over 70 birds.
Officials described the successful hatching as a “proud moment” for scientists, conservationists and forest authorities, reinforcing India’s commitment to protecting its biodiversity and endangered species.
