- Why in news
- On 13 March 2026, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said Project Great Indian Bustard's captive breeding programme entered its fourth year. Two chicks hatched at the Rajasthan centre this week, taking captive birds to 70.
- What it is
- The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is a large ground-dwelling bird of India's dry grasslands, with Rajasthan holding its main surviving population. Project Great Indian Bustard is a conservation effort that includes captive breeding at a Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan, to build an insurance population for the wild.
- Captive tally
- The number of Great Indian Bustards in captivity has reached 70 after two chicks hatched.
- Two breeding methods
- One chick came from natural mating and the other from artificial insemination.
- Soft release plan
- Some of this year's captive-bred chicks will be soft released in the wild, a new stage for the project.
- Legal and IUCN status
- The Great Indian Bustard is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and is in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Where it lives
- Its main stronghold is Rajasthan, especially the Desert National Park near Jaisalmer. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh hold small numbers.
Don’t confuse with Soft release vs hard release: Soft release keeps animals in acclimatisation enclosures with support before they go free. Hard release frees them directly into the wild.
Don’t confuse with Natural mating vs artificial insemination: Both were used at the centre: one chick came from each method.
Species and protected areas: 12 Prelims questions since 2013; they test legal status, location and the year of designation.
Why it matters
- A captive population acts as insurance against extinction of a Critically Endangered species and can supply birds for reintroduction.
Problems
- Wild GIBs face collision with overhead power lines, habitat loss and predation of eggs. Captive-bred birds may struggle to adapt after release.
Way forward
- Mark or bury power lines in priority habitat, protect grassland, and monitor soft-released birds closely.
Put in your answer
Captive breeding milestone: Captive stock stands at 70 birds in the fourth year of the programme, with soft release of some chicks planned.
- 2026Mains GS3 · Q8Discuss Kunming-Montreal biodiversity framework goals and India's commitments and initiatives.
- 2012Prelims Q92Which group of animals includes the Great Indian Bustard as endangered species?
- 2020Prelims Q95Which statements about Desert National Park, including its GIB habitat, are correct?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Species conservation topic of lasting interest; the new facts are a chick count, so no solid statement-based question.
Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 13 Mar, 13:21 IST · Release 285854
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.