Jaisalmer: Jaisalmer Saturday marked a major turning point in the conservation of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), as Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav and Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, who joined virtually from Jodhpur, inaugurated a new Rewilding Aviary at Ramdevra and initiated the process for releasing two captive-bred birds into the wild at the Desert National Park.The two GIBs are scheduled to be released Sunday in a carefully controlled exercise at the DNP, marking the transition of the decade-old conservation breeding programme from building a viable captive population to rewilding the species in its natural habitat.Yadav and Sharma also reviewed the GIB conservation facilities at Ramdevra and Sam and released a brochure documenting the programme’s 10-year journey. Rajasthan forest and environment minister Sanjay Sharma and senior Union and state government officials attended the programme.Officials said the two birds would first be moved from the soft-release facility into an enclosure at Sam before their release. Human presence at the release site will be kept to a minimum to avoid disturbance. The pilot release is expected to generate scientific data and help refine protocols for future releases.The conservation programme is being implemented jointly by the Union environment ministry, Rajasthan Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), with technical collaboration from the International Fund for Houbara Conservation and funding support from National CAMPA.The Ramdevra and Sam facilities currently house 97 GIBs, including 40 originating from wild-laid eggs and 57 bred in captivity. While 86 birds are being maintained for captive reproduction, 11 have been earmarked for release. Captive breeding produced 24 live chicks in 2025 and 29 in 2026.A key innovation has been the ‘jumpstart’ approach, under which captive-laid eggs were placed in wild GIB nests and accepted by incubating females. The intervention resulted in six chicks hatching in Rajasthan and two in Gujarat.The new Ramdevra Rewilding Aviary measures 160m × 64m × 14m and was constructed by the Rajasthan Forest Department through RSRDC at a sanctioned cost of Rs 9.25 crore. Its pillar-less design provides unobstructed flight space for captive-bred birds to strengthen their flight muscles and develop natural behaviour.Yadav said the Thar has a deep emotional and cultural connection with the GIB and credited the efforts of scientists, forest officials and local communities. He said GIB conservation could also benefit local communities through eco-tourism while protecting grasslands and the wider Thar ecosystem.The chief minister described the rewilding of Rajasthan’s State Bird as a matter of pride for the entire state.
