Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses conservation efforts for the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), particularly in Rajasthan, following a question raised in Lok Sabha. The response details legal protections, habitat designation, conservation breeding programs, and collaboration between various departments and the Wildlife Institute of India. The aim is to protect the GIB, build a captive population, and promote in-situ conservation.
Key Points / Main Content:
Legal Protection:
* The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 empowers State and UT Governments to declare National Parks and Sanctuaries for wildlife protection.
* The Chief Wild Life Warden is mandated to manage and protect Sanctuaries and National Parks.
* Listing in Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 provides the highest legal protection against hunting (Section 9 prohibits hunting of Schedule I animals).
Habitat Conservation:
* Important habitats are designated as Protected Areas, such as Desert National Park in Rajasthan, and other areas in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Species Recovery Programme:
* The Centrally Sponsored Scheme Development of Wildlife Habitats provides financial assistance for focused conservation of identified species, including the Great Indian Bustard.
Conservation Breeding:
* The Bustard Recovery Programme, launched in 2016, focuses on habitat improvement and conservation breeding of the GIB and Lesser Florican, implemented with the Rajasthan Forest Department.
* Conservation breeding is undertaken with Forest Departments and the Wildlife Institute of India to build a captive population for release and promote in-situ conservation.
* Two conservation breeding centers have been established in Jaisalmer District, Rajasthan: Sam (2019) and Ramdevra (2022).
* Techniques for artificial hatching, chick rearing, bustard husbandry, and captive breeding have been developed.
* The GIB has been successfully bred in captivity for the first time under this program.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments and Union Territory Governments:
Impact: Empowered and responsible for declaring and managing National Parks and Sanctuaries. They receive financial assistance for focused conservation efforts.
Action Required: Implement and manage protected areas, utilize financial assistance for conservation activities, and enforce the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.
Chief Wild Life Warden:
Impact: Responsible for managing and protecting Sanctuaries and National Parks.
Action Required: Manage and protect Sanctuaries and National Parks according to management plans and ensure the security of wild animals.
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Forest Departments:
Impact: Collaboration in the conservation breeding efforts and habitat protection.
Action Required: Collaborate with the Wildlife Institute of India in the breeding program, implement habitat improvement strategies, and support in-situ conservation efforts.
Wildlife Institute of India:
Impact: Provides technical support for the conservation breeding program.
Action Required: Continue to provide technical expertise in artificial hatching, chick rearing, bustard husbandry, and captive breeding techniques.
Key Entities Referenced
Great Indian Bustard: A critically endangered bird species native to India, subject of conservation efforts.
Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: An Indian law providing legal protection to wild animals and plants, including the Great Indian Bustard.
Rajasthan: A state in India, a key habitat for the Great Indian Bustard and location of significant conservation efforts.
Species Recovery Programme: A component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Development of Wildlife Habitats, providing financial assistance for focused conservation of identified species, including the Great Indian Bustard.
Wildlife Institute of India: An organization providing technical support for the conservation breeding of the Great Indian Bustard.
Desert National Park, Rajasthan: A protected area in Rajasthan, designated as a crucial habitat for the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard.
Gujarat: A state in India with Protected Areas declared for the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard.
Maharashtra: A state in India with Protected Areas declared for the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3531
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
Conservation Breeding Efforts for Great Indian Bustard
3531. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the steps taken by the Government for the conservation and protection of the Great Indian
Bustard, particularly in Rajasthan, and the manner in which its listing in Schedule-I of
the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 contribute to its protection from hunting;
(b) whether the Government has designated important habitats of the Great Indian Bustard;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) the role of National Parks and Sanctuaries in the species' conservation efforts and the
manner in which the "Species Recovery Programme" under the Centrally Sponsored
Scheme Development of Wildlife Habitats assist in this initiative;
(e) the details of conservation breeding efforts undertaken to protect the Great Indian
Bustard, including the collaboration between the Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra Forest
Departments and the Wildlife Institute of India in this regard; and
(f) the details of results achieved through the said breeding programme along with its goal
for building a captive population?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (f) The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 empowers the State Governments and Union
Territory Governments for declaration of National Parks and Sanctuaries for the
purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wild life or its environment. The
Act also mandates that the Chief Wild Life Warden manage and protect all
Sanctuaries and National parks in accordance with management plan and take all
such measures for ensuring the security of wild animals in the Sanctuary or
National Park.
Under the Species Recovery Programme component of the Centrally Sponsored
Scheme ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, financial assistance is provided to the
State Governments and Union Territory Governments for activities aimed at
focused conservation of identified species. Great Indian Bustard is one of the 24
species identified for taking up focused conservation actions.
The important steps taken for protection of Great Indian Bustard, including in the
State of Rajasthan are as follows:i. The Great Indian Bustard is listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life
(Protection) Act, 1972, thereby according it the highest degree of legal
protection from hunting. Section 9 of the Act provides that no person shall
hunt any wild animal specified in Schedule I.
ii. Habitats crucial for conservation have been designated as Protected Areas.
For example Desert National Park in Rajasthan. Similarly, Protected Areas
have also been declared in the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka.
iii. Government of India had launched the Bustard Recovery Programme
“Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian
Bustard” in 2016 - an initiative of conservation breeding and research-
guided in-situ conservation for the GIB and Lesser Florican that is being
implemented in collaboration with Rajasthan Forest Department.
iv. Conservation breeding of the Great Indian Bustard has been undertaken in
collaboration with Forest Departments and technical support of Wildlife
Institute of India, Dehradun with the aim of building a captive population
of the species for release in the wild and promoting in-situ conservation of
the species.
v. Two conservation breeding centers have been established at Sam (2019)
and Ramdevra (2022) in Jaisalmer District, Rajasthan, that are functional.
The program has developed techniques for artificial hatching, chick
rearing, bustard husbandry, captive breeding. The GIB has been bred in
captivity successfully for the first time under this program.
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