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Species in News: Great Indian Bustard (GIB)
Context:
The Great Indian Bustard’s population in Karnataka has decreased from six to just two individuals in Siruguppa sanctuary, Ballari district, within the year.
More on News:
- The species is critically endangered, with fewer than 150 individuals remaining in the wild, primarily in Rajasthan.
- In 2023, Karnataka established a 14-square-kilometre sanctuary in Siruguppa, Ballari district to protect the GIB.
- The Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC) allocated Rs 24 crore for conservation across 24 villages. A separate Rs 6 crore has been set aside for building a research centre in Siruguppa.
About GIB:
- One of the heaviest flying birds in the world.
- Scientific Name: Ardeotis Nigriceps
- Common Names: Great Indian Bustard, Indian Bustard
- Order: Otidiformes
- Family: Otididae
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
- Distribution: Scattered across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.
- Habitat: Dry grasslands, scrublands, and open plains.Diet: Omnivorous, includes grass seeds, insects (e.g., grasshoppers, beetles), small rodents, and reptiles.Breeding: Monsoon season
- Nesting: Nests on the ground with a single egg per clutch per year.
- Predators: Large raptors like eagles and owls, as well as jackals and foxes.
- Human-Related Risks: From habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, mechanised farming, infrastructure development, and mining.
- Additionally, hunting and poaching, collisions with electric wires and vehicles, and threats from free-ranging dogs contribute to its declining population.
Recent SC Judgements:
- It is legally protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the CMS Convention, and Appendix I of CITES.
- Conservation Efforts: Project Bustard (2012) is a national conservation program designed to protect the GIB and other bustard species.
