Environment › Species in news
Great Indian Bustard
The Great Indian Bustard is a Critically Endangered grassland bird whose last strongholds are the Thar and a small population in the Kachchh grassland of Gujarat. Power lines kill the birds that are left, and an invasive tree is taking the grassland itself. Gujarat now has an action plan for the Kachchh birds and a centre to acclimatise captive bred birds before they are let go.
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2020: Desert National Park
- Prelims 2018: why Prosopis juliflora is in the news
The Great Indian Bustard
- The Great Indian Bustard, or GIB (Ardeotis nigriceps), is a large ground dwelling grassland bird.
- It is Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
- It is on Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the list that carries the strictest protection.
- It lives mainly in the Thar, including Desert National Park in Rajasthan, with a surviving population in the Kachchh grassland of Gujarat.
- Collision with power lines is its best known threat, and the invasive Prosopis juliflora takes over the grassland it needs.
- Captive bred birds are raised under a recovery programme run with the Wildlife Institute of India, and the Kachchh birds now have a Gujarat action plan of their own.
What has happened
13 Sep 2026
The Union Environment Minister released the Gujarat Action Plan for GIB Conservation at Bhuj and opened a Soft Release Centre in Kachchh.
- It aims at a minimum viable population of more than 30 birds in Kachchh.
- The centre stands on grassland cleared of Prosopis juliflora, and will acclimatise captive bred birds before release.
PIB, 13 Sep 2026: Shri Bhupender Yadav reviews progress of Great Indian Bustard Conservation, Grassland Restoration and Project Cheetah at Bhuj; Releases Gujarat Action Plan for GIB Conservation (opens in a new tab) · PIB, 14 Sep 2026: Union Environment Minister visits Great Indian Bustard Habitat in Kachchh, Gujarat; Inaugurates GIB Soft Release Centre, Sayara Van Kavach and reviews Mangrove Plantation Efforts (opens in a new tab)