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Great Indian Bustard

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Great Indian Bustard

Why in news : Recently, the Supreme Court sought the government’s response about evolving a “project Great Indian Bustard” conservation programme on the lines of Project Tiger.

More about the Great Indian Bustard :

Great Indian Bustard

  • It is a bustard found on the Indian subcontinent and is the state bird of Rajasthan.
  • This bird is among the heaviest of the flying birds.
  • It is considered as the flagship species for the grassland ecosystem, representing the health of the grassland ecology.
  • This species was formerly widespread in India and Pakistan. The bustard is critically endangered in Pakistan primarily due to lack of protection and rampant hunting.
  • In India, the bird was historically found in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
  • Today the bustard is restricted to isolated pockets in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Conservation status :

  • IUCN status : Critically Endangered
  • CITES status : Schedule I
  • CMS convention : Schedule I
  • Wildlife Protection Act,1972 : Schedule I

Problems faced by the Great Indian Bustards:

  • Habitat loss
  • Hunting still prevalent in Pakistan
  • Electrocution with transmission lines

Rajasthan government has launched ‘Project Great Indian Bustard’ to conserve the species.

Syllabus : prelims + mains; Environment- species in news

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