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Critically Endangered Bird Sighted After 20 Years in Barmer
5 Mar
Summary
- Critically endangered Great Indian Bustard sighted in Barmer after nearly 20 years.
- Conservation efforts show promise with the bird's reappearance in grassland.
- A 2025 census recorded over 130 Great Indian Bustards in the wild.
A critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has been sighted in Barmer, Rajasthan, marking its first appearance in the region in nearly 20 years. The bird was spotted in the grasslands of Kundal range, a significant development for conservation efforts.
Pastureland development over 250 hectares in Kundal since 2025 has yielded encouraging results, with forest personnel capturing the GIB on camera in the revitalized habitat. The last confirmed sightings in Barmer were in 2005 and 2007.
The mating and breeding season for the GIB begins in March, prompting intensified surveillance in natural pastures. Cameras have been installed at key water points and habitat areas to monitor the species.
A 2025 wild field census by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) recorded over 130 GIBs in the wild. Officials note that over 70% of the global GIB population thrives in Jaisalmer, highlighting the importance of this region for the species' survival. The Barmer sighting is seen as a positive outcome of collaborative efforts between the state forest department and the WII.
