Conservation Triumph: Great Indian Bustard Makes a Comeback in Kutch

In a significant conservation achievement, the Great Indian Bustard has successfully hatched in Gujarat's Kutch grasslands after a decade. This initiative, attributed to a unique conservation approach, highlights the ongoing efforts to protect this highly endangered bird, which faces threats from habitat loss and requires immediate conservation measures.

The efforts to conserve the highly endangered Great Indian Bustard have borne fruit, with a chick being successfully hatched in Gujarat's Kutch grasslands. This marks the first such initiative in a decade, achieved through a novel conservation measure called the 'jump-start approach', coordinated by various Indian environmental bodies.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who previously advocated for the conservation of the bustard, highlighted that the initiative was underway long before it was credited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ramesh recalled his 2010 communication with then-Gujarat Chief Minister Modi, urging prompt action to prevent the bird's extinction in the region.

The recent hatch is part of a broader, groundbreaking conservation effort. Transporting a fertile egg over a non-stop 770-kilometer journey was integral to the project's success, with this key conservation milestone offering hope for the future sustainability of the Great Indian Bustard population in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)