11 New Lives for India’s Rarest Bird: Great Indian Bustard Recovery Picks Up Pace Or Endangered Great Indian Bustard Gets Lifeline as 11 Chicks Hatch in 2026 Season
Wildlife Institute of India’s breeding programme moves closer to the reintroduction phase with the rising captive population
Jaipur: 10 April 2026
Nature Times Desk,
In a significant boost to India’s critically endangered bird conservation efforts, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has announced the addition of eleven captive-bred chicks under the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) conservation breeding programme during the first month of its fourth breeding season in 2026.
File Photo
According to an official update shared on X (formerly Twitter), the newly hatched chicks were produced from eggs laid by seven females and sired by five males, marking a steady progression in the programme’s scientific breeding success. Since its inception in 2019, the initiative has worked with 33 founder birds sourced from wild eggs and has successfully produced 46 captive-bred chicks so far.
The programme, being implemented under Project Great Indian Bustard, is now moving closer to its next crucial phase — the release of captive-bred birds into the wild. Officials indicated that this milestone may be achieved earlier than previously anticipated, signaling a positive trajectory for the species’ recovery.
File Photo
The Great Indian Bustard, one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, remains on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and threats such as power line collisions. Collaborative efforts involving the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Rajasthan Forest Department and international partners continue to play a vital role in securing the future of this iconic species.
Conservationists have expressed optimism, hoping that sustained efforts will help revive the dwindling population of this flagship grassland bird.
