Why is this flagship species relevant for UPSC Exam? – Exam Ki Tayari

Why in the news?

Giving relief to renewable energy companies from blanket restrictions on existing overhead power lines in habitats of the Great Indian Bustard, a Supreme Court appointed expert committee has proposed designated “power corridors” for transmission lines in Gujarat and Rajasthan, The Indian Express has learnt. In this context, let’s learn about the GIB and the expert committee’s recommendations.

Key Takeaways :

1. The Great Indian Bustard is a large bird found only in India. GIBs are the largest among the four bustard species found in India, the other three being MacQueen’s bustard, lesser florican and the Bengal florican.

2. Among the heaviest birds with flight, GIBs prefer grasslands as their habitats. Being terrestrial birds, they spend most of their time on the ground with occasional flights to go from one part of their habitat to the other.

3. GIBs feed on insects, lizards, grass seeds etc. They are considered the flagship bird species of grassland and hence barometers of the health of grassland ecosystems.

4. GIBs’ historic range included much of the Indian sub-continent but it has now shrunken to just 10 per cent of it. Due to the species’ smaller population size, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorised GIBs as critically endangered, thus on the brink of extinction from the wild.

The bustards’ habitat map, showing an area in Western Rajasthan.

5. Over the past four decades, its population has declined steadily. The estimated population of the GIB — once considered a candidate for national bird — is below 150. Loss of their habitat to rising farmlands in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, depredation of eggs by other predators such as dogs, monitor lizards and humans and more recently, death due to overhead power lines have caused their numbers to decline.

1. 01

   What is the conservation status of GIB?

   ♦ IUCN Red List status of Great Indian Bustard: Critically Endangered

   ♦ Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

   ♦ Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS):  Appendix I

   ♦ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix 1

2. 02

   The Great Indian Bustard is the state bird of which state?

   The Great Indian Bustard is the state bird of Rajasthan. Notably, Rajasthan has the largest remaining population of the GIBs.

Great Indian Bustard recovery plan and conservation program

1. The first steps to address the decline of the bustard population were taken between 2012-2013, when the Rajasthan government as well as the Environment Ministry began a long-term Bustard and Lesser Florican recovery project. The recovery project firmed up more in the year 2016 when it received a funding outlay of Rs 33.85 crore for seven years. This money was sanctioned to improve the bird’s habitat and start a conservation breeding program.

A dead GIB in Rajasthan’s Khetloi village. Even four power line-induced deaths can make the species go extinct within 20 years, according to an assessment made by WII in 2020. (Photo credit: WII)

2. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund, which consists of money collected for afforestation in lieu of diversion of forests for non-forest uses, funded this project. Later, in July 2018, a tripartite agreement was signed between the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Rajasthan Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

3. This involved opening long-term conservation breeding centres (CBC) in Ramdevra and Sorsan, implementing field research projects such as telemetry-based bird tracking and population surveys, habitat management as well as outreach to local communities.

4. While the total length of the next phase of the GIB and Lesser Florican conservation is 2024-2033, the immediate next phase will run till 2029. The target of the project would be to complete the upgradation of the CBC at Ramdevra and development of the Lesser Florican CBC at Sorsan, both in Rajasthan. The Ramdevra facility would also include a new lab for artificial insemination, which the WII plans to use from 2026 onwards.

Expert Committee’s Recommendations

1. In March 2024, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud had recalled a 2021 Supreme Court order that required all power lines in GIB habitats to be buried underground, following concerns about the technical and economic feasibility of such a move. It then tasked the expert committee with prescribing measures to mitigate GIB deaths from power lines while balancing conservation goals with mushrooming renewable energy development in these two states.

2. The committee has revised the boundaries of GIB conservation zones. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, it has proposed a “revised priority area” of 14,013 sq km (up from 13,163 sq km) and 740 sq km (up from 500 sq km), respectively. These priority areas are meant for focused conservation and protection of the GIB.

3. The corridors proposed by the seven-member committee will be 5 km wide in Rajasthan and between 1 and 2 km wide across two separate zones in Gujarat. One member of the committee, however, is learnt to have submitted a dissent note, raising objections to exempting several power lines from mitigation.

4. The committee has proposed a set of mitigation measures and restrictions based on zonal priorities:

* Existing power lines in Bustard habitats to be dealt with based on voltage.

* Immediate burying of certain lines identified by the Supreme Court in key GIB habitats.

* Lines of 220 kV and above be assessed individually for possible mitigation.

* No restrictions on laying new power lines outside the priority areas.

5. Among key conservation measures suggested is using the “jump start” method to revive Gujarat’s GIB population. This will involve using eggs in advanced stages from conservation breeding facilities in Rajasthan, which will be incubated by wild GIB females. Tagging of the remaining Gujarat GIBs has also been recommended.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: World Nature Conservation Day 2025

1. After knowing the significance of conservation of GIB, it’s important to note that today (July 28) marks World Nature Conservation Day. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of preserving and conserving natural resources and the environment. The day serves as a reminder of the need to protect and sustainably manage the Earth’s ecosystems and biodiversity for the well-being of current and future generations.

2. This year, the theme for World Nature Conservation Day 2025 is “Connecting People and Plants: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation.”

Post Read Question

With reference to the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), consider the following statements:

1. It is a large bird found only in India.

2. It is known to be a key indicator species of the grassland habitat.

3. It is classified as vulnerable.

4. The population of GIB has steadily increased in the past four decades.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

(Sources: Exclusive: SC-named panel proposes ‘power corridors’ through Great Indian Bustard habitats, Critically endangered Great Indian Bustards’ recovery program, and what lies ahead, The Great Indian Bustards of Kutch)

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