In a commendable stride for wildlife conservation, Indian experts are celebrating the recent successful hatching of a great Indian bustard chick through artificial insemination in Rajasthan's Desert National Park. This achievement marks a momentous development for the critically endangered bird, boasting a population that has plummeted from over 1,000 in the 1960s to approximately 150 today.
The innovative approach involved training a lone adult male in one of the two breeding centers in Jaisalmer to produce sperm without mating. This sperm was then used to impregnate an adult female located around 200 kilometers away at the second center. Official sources indicate that this breakthrough opens up prospects for establishing a sperm bank for the species.
Despite its past prevalence across numerous states, the great Indian bustard is now primarily confined to Rajasthan, with few sightings in Karnataka and Gujarat. Habitat loss, poaching, and collisions with overhead power lines have severely impacted their numbers. Conservationists stress the necessity of protecting their habitats, notably in Jaisalmer, where the land is increasingly occupied by renewable energy projects, creating a delicate balancing act for local authorities.
Sumit Dookia, a conservation ecologist, underscores the bird's unique characteristics, noting its impressive size, weighing between 15–18 kg, and its vital ecological role as a predator of various pests. However, the bustard’s evolutionary traits complicate its survival — its limited frontal vision heightens risks of power line collisions, a major cause of fatalities. The bird's singular breeding behavior, producing only one egg at a time, further complicates its recovery efforts, with many eggs preyed upon.
With the establishment of conservation breeding centers in 2018 and 2022, stakeholders are working to bolster the population through incubating collected eggs from the wild. Currently, 45 birds are being nurtured across the centers, but experts are wary of the imprinting issue where birds bond too closely with humans, impairing their instinctive survival skills.
Additionally, the dire state of their habitat and diminishing migratory behaviors due to increased flying accidents exacerbate inbreeding risks, compounding the threats to the bustard's future. A recent Supreme Court ruling, which favored renewable energy companies over the protection of bustard habitats by vacating an order to prioritize underground power lines in their regions, has raised concern among conservationists.
Debadityo Sinha, an ecologist, addresses the complex interplay of climate change, biodiversity, and development, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes both ecological preservation and sustainable energy practices. The future of the great Indian bustard is thus not only a testament to conservation efforts but also a crucial reflection of humanity's broader ecological responsibilities.
