Parliamentarian Team
Hunting, particularly in Pakistan, poses the gravest threat to the great Indian bustard. In addition, occasional poaching outside protected areas, collisions with high-tension electric wires, fast-moving vehicles, and attacks by free-ranging dogs in villages exacerbate the problem. Moreover, habitat loss and alteration due to extensive agricultural expansion and mechanized farming further endanger this majestic bird.
The great Indian bustard, an emblem of India’s rich biodiversity, stands out with its striking appearance and unique characteristics. One can easily distinguish it by its black crown perched on the forehead, which sharply contrasts with its pale neck and head. The bird’s body displays a brownish hue, while its wings showcase a complex pattern marked in black, brown, and grey.
Both male and female bustards generally reach similar heights and weights, a trait quite rare among birds. However, males can be identified by their larger black crowns and a prominent black band across the breast. During the monsoon season, which is their primary breeding period, females lay a single egg on the open ground. One of the most fascinating features of the male great Indian bustard is the gular pouch. This anatomical feature enables them to produce a resonant booming mating call that can be heard up to 500 meters away, thus attracting females. Males, however, do not contribute to the incubation and care of the young. Instead, the offspring remain with their mothers until the next breeding season.
Great Indian bustards are opportunistic feeders with a diet that varies widely depending on the seasonal availability of food. They feed on grass seeds, insects like grasshoppers and beetles, and sometimes small rodents and reptiles. This adaptability in their diet is one of the reasons for their resilience in the wild.
Historically, the great Indian bustard had a vast range, distributed throughout Western India across eleven states, and even extended into parts of Pakistan. Its strongholds included the Thar desert in the northwest and the Deccan plateau in the peninsula. However, today, their population is mostly confined to the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, with smaller populations in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Bustards prefer flat, open landscapes with minimal visual obstructions and disturbances. They are well adapted to grasslands, which provide the perfect habitat for their needs. During the non-breeding season, they frequent wide agro-grass scrub landscapes. In the breeding season, which spans summers and monsoons, they gather in traditional, undisturbed grassland patches. These areas are characterized by a mosaic of scantily grazed tall grass, usually below 50 cm. They avoid regions with grasses taller than themselves and dense scrub like thickets.
The greatest threat to the great Indian bustard is hunting, particularly in Pakistan where it remains prevalent. This is followed by occasional poaching outside protected areas. Collisions with high-tension electric wires, fast-moving vehicles, and attacks by free-ranging dogs in villages also pose significant risks. Additionally, habitat loss and alteration due to widespread agricultural expansion, mechanized farming, infrastructural development such as irrigation, roads, electric poles, and industrialization further endanger these majestic birds.
In response to these threats, WWF-India has been instrumental in developing the ‘Guidelines for the State Action Plan for Resident Bustard Recovery Programme’. This initiative has played a crucial role in raising awareness about the declining populations of the great Indian bustard and highlighting the importance of implementing a focused bustard conservation program at the national level. WWF-India is actively undertaking initiatives toward the conservation of the great Indian bustard in and around Desert National Park. In the near future, WWF also plans to expand its efforts in Gujarat and is currently making efforts to raise funds for this cause.
The conservation of the great Indian bustard is not just about saving a species; it is about preserving a vital part of India’s natural heritage. The efforts of organizations like WWF-India are crucial in ensuring that future generations can witness the beauty and majesty of these birds in the wild. While the challenges are significant, the commitment to conservation gives hope that the great Indian bustard will continue to grace the grasslands of India for many years to come.ing outside Protected Areas, collisions with high tension electric wires, fast moving vehicles and free-ranging dogs in villages. Other threats include habitat loss and alteration as a result of widespread agricultural expansion and mechanised farming, infrastructural development such as irrigation, roads, electric poles, as well as mining and industrialization.
WWF-India has provided inputs in developing the ‘Guidelines for the State Action Plan for Resident Bustard Recovery Programme’. It has played an important role in raising awareness about the declining populations and highlighting the importance of implementing a focused bustard conservation programme at the national level. WWF-India, is undertaking initiatives towards conservation of GIB in and around Desert National Park. In near future, WWF also plans to expand the work in Gujarat and is making efforts to raise funds towards this.