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GIB Numbers Plummet: Rajasthan's State Bird Faces Crisis
7 May
Summary
- Great Indian Bustard population dropped from 73 to 41 in recent waterhole census.
- Experts cite power lines, habitat loss, and stray dogs as threats.
- Other wildlife populations remained stable or increased in the same census.
A recent waterhole census has revealed a stark decline in the population of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Rajasthan's state bird and a Schedule-I protected species. The count, conducted on Vaishakh Purnima, recorded only 41 GIBs, a significant drop from the 73 spotted last year. This alarming decrease has raised concerns among environmentalists and the Forest Department regarding the species' survival in its natural habitat.
Experts attribute this decline to several critical factors. The rapidly expanding network of high-tension power lines within GIB habitats, coupled with a lack of adequate bird diverters, poses a serious threat. Additionally, shrinking grasslands and predation by stray dogs are making the environment increasingly unsafe for this critically endangered bird. While the GIB population has fluctuated over the past three years, the recent census results are particularly worrying.
The census, which involved 52 teams and over 156 personnel including experts from the Wildlife Institute of India, aimed to count wildlife across various water sources in the Desert National Park region. Although populations of most other wildlife species, such as nilgai and chinkara, appeared stable or even increased, the GIB sightings were significantly lower. Forest officials noted that spotting 41 GIBs was still a notable achievement and that the data would be crucial for future conservation efforts.
