Rare Great Indian Bustard Chick Hatched in Gujarat After Decade-Long Gap
BHUJ— In a major breakthrough for wildlife conservation, a chick of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard has been successfully hatched in Gujarat’s Kutch region after nearly a decade.
The milestone was achieved in the Abdasa area through an innovative conservation effort known as “Operation Egg Transfer.” The initiative involved transporting a fertile egg from a breeding center in Rajasthan to Kutch, where it was introduced into the nest of a local female bustard.
According to officials, the egg was transported over 19 hours by road in a portable incubator to ensure optimal conditions. On March 22, it replaced an infertile egg in the nest, and the female bird incubated it naturally. The chick hatched successfully on March 26.
Gujarat’s Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia described the achievement as a “moment of pride,” crediting coordinated efforts between state forest departments, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Wildlife Institute of India.
The effort is part of Project GIB, launched in 2016 to protect and revive the species. Conservationists also highlighted the use of the “Jumpstart Approach,” an advanced breeding and population recovery technique.
Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav praised the collaborative effort, while officials confirmed that monitoring of the chick and its mother is ongoing.
With fewer than 150 Great Indian Bustards believed to remain in the wild, the successful hatching marks a significant step forward in efforts to save one of India’s most endangered bird species. (Source: IANS)
