India Releases 2 Captive-Bred Great Indian Bustards Into the Wild: The Beginning of a Survival Experiment

What happened when the two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards were released in Rajasthan?

Two male Great Indian Bustards were released at Sam in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park on Sunday morning. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav carried out the release. The birds were not rescued from the wild. They were raised at conservation-breeding facilities in Jaisalmer.

Before entering the desert, the birds spent time in a large rewilding aviary at Ramdevra. This pillar-less enclosure allowed them to fly, build muscle and experience conditions closer to nature. Researchers also fitted them with satellite tags before release.

The release is both a conservation step and a field experiment. Scientists will observe whether the birds can find food, move through the habitat and avoid threats without human care. Their survival will influence how India releases other captive-bred Great Indian Bustards.

What is a Great Indian Bustard, and why is it considered critically endangered?

The Great Indian Bustard, or GIB, is a bird found in India and locally known as the Godawan. The article describes it as one of India’s most threatened birds. Its conservation matters because the remaining wild population is very small.

Its critically endangered status means the species faces an extremely high risk of disappearing from the wild. India’s response has two parts: protect the birds still living in nature and build a captive population that may eventually return to natural habitat.

The breeding programme began collecting eggs from wild nests in 2019. Chicks were artificially incubated and hand-reared. The programme later achieved captive breeding, including a chick that hatched in March 2023 from an egg laid by captive birds. These efforts aim to increase numbers and restore the species’ presence in Rajasthan’s deserts.

How many Great Indian Bustards are in the captive-breeding programme, and how many have been selected for release?

India’s captive-breeding programme currently holds 97 Great Indian Bustards at the Ramdevra and Sam facilities. This population includes birds taken from wild-collected eggs and birds produced in captivity. It gives conservationists a larger managed population while they protect the species’ remaining wild birds.

Of the 97 birds, 40 originated from eggs collected from the wild, while 57 were bred in captivity. The programme is not releasing every bird it holds. Instead, 86 are being retained for captive reproduction, and 11 have been earmarked for eventual release.

The figures show why breeding and release must happen together. The retained birds can strengthen the captive population, while selected birds provide opportunities to test reintroduction. The programme produced 24 live chicks in 2025 and another 29 in 2026.

What is a “soft release,” and how were these birds prepared before entering the desert?

A soft release is a staged move from captivity to the wild. It gives an animal time to adjust before facing the full demands of natural habitat. This matters because captive-bred birds may not immediately know how to fly long distances, find food or respond to threats.

The two GIBs first entered a new rewilding aviary at Ramdevra. Its large, pillar-less design gave them room to fly without the limits of a conventional enclosure. The birds could strengthen their flight muscles and encounter conditions closer to those outside. Researchers checked their growth and muscle development before release.

The birds then moved into the Desert National Park and were fitted with satellite tags. Their transition will help scientists judge whether this preparation works. The results can guide future releases and improve the programme’s chances of returning GIBs to the desert.

What could happen to the birds after release, and what will satellite tags help scientists learn?

Release does not guarantee survival. Captive-bred GIBs must now decide where to feed, where to travel and how to respond to threats. Predation and difficulty finding food may make the first period especially dangerous. The article notes that mortality is expected to be high at first.

Satellite tags give researchers a way to follow the birds after they leave human care. Scientists can study their movements across the habitat and identify the places they use. The tags can also help reveal what the birds eat and whether their behaviour changes as they become more independent.

These observations will shape future conservation decisions. If the birds adapt, the programme can use that knowledge to improve later releases. If they struggle, researchers can identify problems in preparation or habitat. The first two birds therefore provide evidence, not just a symbolic return to freedom.

Why do the birds need restored grassland habitat, fenced areas and protection from threats such as predators and power lines?

Released GIBs need suitable habitat because freedom alone cannot provide food, space or safety. Restored grassland can offer the conditions needed for feeding and movement. Fenced areas can help manage access and protect sensitive sites, while reducing threats can improve survival during the birds’ difficult adjustment.

The article specifically says that rewilding cannot stop at the aviary and that the desert also has to be ready. It refers to habitat restoration, but the supplied excerpt ends at “The Rajasthan Forest Department has been restor”. It does not give the details of fenced areas or power-line measures.

In general conservation practice, predators and power lines can kill vulnerable released birds. Reducing such dangers gives captive-bred GIBs more time to learn wild behaviour. Habitat preparation therefore supports the release itself and helps determine whether the birds can eventually survive without human assistance.

How can captive breeding and reintroduction help rebuild a species, and why must the released animals eventually survive and reproduce in the wild?

Captive breeding gives a threatened species another source of individuals. Conservationists can protect eggs, raise chicks and produce birds when the wild population is too small. Releasing some of those birds can restore animals to places where the species has declined. This is why the GIB programme combines breeding with habitat protection.

India collected GIB eggs from wild nests from 2019, artificially incubated them and hand-reared the chicks. Captive birds later bred themselves. In March 2023, a chick hatched from an artificially incubated egg laid by captive birds. The programme now holds 97 GIBs, with 11 selected for eventual release.

But a release is only a beginning. Birds must find food, avoid predators and use the habitat without human support. They also need to reproduce in the wild. Survival and breeding would create a continuing population, rather than one dependent on repeated releases from conservation facilities.

Key Facts:

📌 Two captive-bred male GIBs entered Rajasthan’s desert for the first time.

📌 The birds were released at Sam in Desert National Park.

📌 Satellite tags will track their movements after release.

📌 The Great Indian Bustard is locally known as the Godawan.

📌 It is among India’s most threatened birds.

📌 Only a small wild population remains.

📌 The Ramdevra and Sam facilities hold 97 GIBs.