Font size:
Print
Glimmer of Hope for GIB: Artificial Insemination Birth
Context:
A GIB chick was hatched through artificial insemination at the Sudasari Great Indian Bustard Breeding Centre in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
More on News:
- This event marks the first successful birth of a GIB via this method, deemed “extremely important” by authorities for the future of this critically endangered species.
- With fewer than 150 individuals remaining in India, primarily in Rajasthan.
About Great Indian Bustard
Methodology:
- A team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) learned artificial insemination techniques from a project in Abu Dhabi focused on the Houbara bustard.
- Artificial Insemination: Technique that involves collecting sperm from male birds and introducing it into females to facilitate reproduction.
- This method is particularly useful for species like the GIB, where natural mating opportunities are limited due to dwindling populations.
Population Decline Factors::
- The species faces multiple threats, including habitat loss due to increased human activity, predation on eggs, and mortality from overhead power lines.
- A 2020 study by WII estimated that around 84,000 birds from various species die annually due to power line collisions, with GIBs particularly vulnerable due to their size and limited frontal vision.
Government Efforts and Conservation Implications:
- Supreme Court Order: In April 2021, the Supreme Court ordered the burial of power lines in GIB habitats, but it later stated that implementation over long distances would be “practically impossible.”
- Captive Breeding Collaboration: The Centre, Rajasthan government, and WII are working together on a captive breeding program.
- The successful use of artificial insemination is part of this project, with plans to eventually release these bred birds back into the wild.
- Long-term Goals: Wildlife biologist noted that while the hatching is positive, it may take 25 years to develop a sufficient number of birds for natural population increase after release.
Challenges in Natural Habitat Preservation:
- The reproductive habits of the GIB, which lays only one egg—equivalent to the size of three chicken eggs—per year.
- This vulnerability, combined with habitat destruction, poses significant risks.
- Once hatched, the chick requires two years of care before the parent can lay another egg, making population recovery a slow process.
