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
