In a remarkable breakthrough for the conservation of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), four new chicks have been born in just one week at the Sudasari Breeding Centre in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. Of these, three hatched on April 2 alone, marking the first time in the programme’s history that so many chicks have been born in a single day.
This achievement follows successful artificial insemination under the Union Environment Ministry’s Bustard Recovery Programme, a crucial initiative launched in 2016 to rescue the dwindling population of the Great Indian Bustard, locally known as “Godawan.”
The chicks were born to four female GIBs — Aman, Tony, Rewa, and Sharky — who laid their eggs between February and March. One chick hatched from Tony’s egg on March 28, while three others hatched from the eggs of Aman, Rewa, and Sharky on April 2 following artificial incubation.
“ProjectGIB welcomes three new chicks of the Critically Endangered #GreatIndianBustard on April 2… rekindling hope for rewilding the species in the near future,” the Wildlife Institute of India announced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
District Forest Officer (DFO) of the Desert National Park (DNP), Brijmohan Gupta, expressed optimism, calling the development a positive sign for the species’ recovery. “It is for the first time that three chicks have been born in a single day and four in just a week. This development is an encouraging sign for the species’ future,” Gupta said.
With the latest additions, the total number of captive-bred GIBs in 2025 has risen to six, and 20 since the beginning of the breeding programme in March 2023. The total population of the Godawan at the two breeding centres—Sam and Ramdevra—now stands at 50, with 22 at Sam and 28 at Ramdevra.
On October 16 last year, the breeding programme recorded a world-first with the successful birth of a GIB chick through artificial insemination—an encouraging breakthrough for the scientific community and conservationists alike.
The Bustard Recovery Programme aims to establish a self-sustaining GIB population by focusing on captive breeding, habitat restoration, and eventually reintroducing birds into the wild.
Once widespread across the Indian subcontinent, the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) has now seen its population fall to fewer than 200 individuals. Most are found in Rajasthan and Gujarat, with smaller pockets in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
As one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, the GIB is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, included in Appendix I of CITES, and protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is also the state bird of Rajasthan, symbolizing the state’s commitment to conservation.
The recent flurry of hatchings offers a much-needed glimmer of hope for this iconic species teetering on the brink of extinction.
Sources By Agencies
