PIB Delhi announced on 24 October 2026 that four male Great Indian Bustards (GIB) were released into the wild at Desert National Park in Rajasthan. This marks a shift from building a captive population to restoring the species in its natural habitat after a 75% population decline over 30 years. The effort is supported by a conservation-breeding programme sanctioned in 2016 and a ₹ 77.05 crore Conservation Action Plan approved in December 2024. The release benefits the Critically Endangered GIB population by using captive-bred birds to strengthen wild numbers.
Key points
- 4 male GIBs released in October 2026 at Desert National Park, Rajasthan
- ₹ 77.05 crore approved in Dec 2024 for a 5-year Conservation Action Plan
- 96 birds housed in facilities by Oct 2026 (40 wild-origin, 56 captive-bred)
- Jumpstart Approach has produced 6 chicks in Rajasthan and 2 in Gujarat
- 200 sq km of fenced grassland enclosures established in Desert National Park
When it applies
- release of four male GIBs into the wild
- conservation-breeding programme
- Conservation Action Plan for Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican
Who it affects
- Great Indian Bustard population