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Home / IAS Preparation / Great Indian Bustard UPSC Notes: Characteristics & IUCN Status

Great Indian Bustard UPSC Notes: Characteristics & IUCN Status

Last Updated on Apr 01, 2024
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The Great Indian Bustard is also known as Ardeotis nigriceps. It is a large terrestrial bird seen in Pakistan and India. It belongs to the world’s largest flying bird species and is known by several names in various states. Maldhok, Yerbhoot, Ghorad, Godawan, Tuqdar, Sohan Chidia, etc., are well-known bird names. Salim Ali, an Indian Ornithologist, strongly supported the Great Indian Bustard when it was proposed as India’s “National Bird,” but the “Indian Peafowl” was chosen instead. The Rajasthan Government initiated Project Great Indian Bustard with the aim of preserving the dwindling population of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), known locally as Godawan.

In this article on the Great Indian Bustard UPSC, let us look at the Great Indian Bustard’s IUCN Status, its characteristics and Habitat, Sanctuary and National Parks, Project Great Indian Bustard, and other conservation initiatives. 

This topic the Great Indian Bustard UPSC is important for the Environment section, which is a part of UPSC mains GS 3 paper. 

Check out the linked article to download the Environment Notes for UPSC Exams now!

About the Great Indian Bustard

The Great Indian Bustard (GIB), also known as Godavan locally, is the state bird of Rajasthan, India. The bird is known as the “flagship grassland species” and is said to signify the ecology’s health. It is the largest native bird of the Indian subcontinent that can fly. Gujarat and Rajasthan are the states that are native to the Great Indian Bustard. Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh are home to a small portion of its population.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the feathered creature is critically endangered because it has been hunted and experienced habitat loss as a result of extensive changes in agricultural practices and other factors. It has also been struck by power transmission lines and received electric shocks from those impacts, owing to its poor eyesight. Many initiatives have been taken up by the Indian government to conserve the species.

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Physical Characteristics of Great Indian Bustard
  • The Great Indian Bustard is a tall bird with long legs, similar to an ostrich, and a long neck. It stands about one meter tall.
  • Its black cap on a pale head and neck sets it apart from other birds.
  • The wings display black, brown, and grey markings, while the body is light brown.
  • Feather color helps distinguish between male and female bustards.
  • The male is 1.1–1.20 meters long, weighing 8–18 kg. It has a dark, sandy buff color, and its breast band turns black during mating season.
  • The female is smaller, weighing between 3.5 and 6.75 kg.
  • Although the Great Indian Bustard is the largest flying bird in its native region, the Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) and the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) are larger than it.

Check out the linked article to download the notes on the National Wildlife Action Plan for UPSC Exams now!

Distribution and Habitat of Great Indian Bustard
  • The habitat of the Great Indian Bustard consists of arid and semi-arid grasslands with scattered short shrubs, bushes, and low-intensity cropping. It avoids irrigated areas.
  • GIBs are heavy-flying birds that prefer grasslands as their habitat. They spend most of their time on the ground and only fly short distances between different areas.
  • As the flagship bird species of grasslands, GIBs serve as indicators of the ecosystem's health.
  • Their diet includes grass seeds, insects, lizards, and more.
  • The historical range of GIBs once covered a significant part of the Indian subcontinent, but now it has been reduced to approximately 10% of its previous extent.
  • The Great Indian Bustard, previously widespread in Pakistan and India, is now found only in a few specific locations in both countries.
  • They used to be present in 11 states in India but are now only found in the following 6 states.
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Gujarat
  • Karnataka
  • Maharashtra
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Rajasthan

Check out the linked article to download the notes on the Global Tiger Forum for UPSC Exams now!

Great Indian Bustard IUCN Status

The Great Indian Bustard has been listed as Critically Endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). From “Endangered” to “Critically Endangered,” this bird species’ status was reduced by Birdlife International in 2011. Critically endangered species are those that are in imminent danger of going extinct in the near future.

The Protection Status of the Great Indian Bustard 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Appendix 1

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)

Appendix I

International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List

Critically Endangered

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

Schedule 1

Why are Great Indian Bustards Endangered?

There were 300 species in 2008, dropping from an estimated 1,260 in 1969. According to experts, hunting could lead to the bird’s complete extinction within 15 to 20 years.

  • Due to its relatively tiny population and rapid decrease brought on by various factors, the great Indian bustard is severely endangered.
  • Agricultural expansion and mechanization-related habitat loss and degradation pose the biggest threat to the birds.
  • Hunting and physical disturbance are also major challenges to the GIB’s survival.
  • Some of the other threats to GIBs, according to scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), are likewise caused by overhead power transmission lines.

Targeted conservation efforts must be urgently accelerated to keep it from going functionally extinct over the next several decades.

What is the Impact on the Environment due to the Great Indian Bustard’s Extinction?

Each animal and bird contributes to the food chain. Therefore, the extinction of even one species might have catastrophic effects on the environment. Thus, the ecosystem gets disrupted.

  • It is the finest indicator species of healthy grassland habitat, making it the “umbrella species” of the Indian grassland ecosystem.
  • The Great Indian Bustard is a “Friend of the Farmer” by preserving it. Other grassland species will have a better chance of survival.
  • Rodents, reptiles, and insects make up the Bustard’s diet. Without the Bustard, there is a high likelihood of these species becoming overpopulated, eventually setting off a chain of reactions (domino effect).
  • An area’s agricultural production can suffer tremendously from increased rodent populations.

Check out the linked article to download the notes on the Sixth Mass Extinction for UPSC Exams now!

Conservation of Great Indian Bustard

Many conservation measures are being taken to protect the GIB, including:

  • Habitat protection for Great Indian Bustard: The Indian government has designated many protected areas for the GIB. This includes the Desert National Park in Rajasthan and the Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh. These areas are home to important GIB habitats. They provide some degree of protection from poaching and other threats.
  • Captive breeding: Captive breeding programs have been established at many zoos and research institutions in India. These programs aim to produce captive-bred GIB chicks that can be released into the wild to help boost the population.
  • Awareness raising: Conservation organizations are working to raise awareness about the GIB and its plight. This includes educating local communities about the importance of the GIB and the need to protect it.

Check out the linked article to download the Natural Vegetation in India notes for UPSC Exams now!

Great Indian Bustard National Parks

Some national parks where the Great Indian Bustard is found are listed below.

Rajasthan’s Desert National Park

The Great Indian Bustards, Blackbuck, and Chinkara are frequently seen in the Desert National Park. The ideal locations to observe the Great Indian Bustard in Rajasthan are within the Desert National Park and in areas outside of protected zones in the Ajmer and Jaisalmer districts. This national park stands out as one of the few in India where a substantial population of the endangered Great Indian Bustard can be found.

Maharashtra’s Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary

It was established in 1979, also called the Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary of Maharashtra. It is a protective haven for the great Indian bustard (Ardeotis Nigriceps) in Solapur, Maharashtra, India. The sanctuary is situated in a semi-arid region that is susceptible to drought. It falls within the ecoregion known as the Deccan thorn scrub forests.

Gujarat’s Kutch Bustard Sanctuary

Kutch, one of the prominent sanctuaries in Gujarat, is renowned for its conservation efforts of the great Indian bustard. It is one of the two major sanctuaries in the state. Within Gujarat's bustard sanctuaries, there are approximately 30 birds. It includes other less common bustard species, such as floricans and migratory houbara bustards.

Andhra Pradesh’s Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary

The Kurnool district’s Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary is a well-known habitat for the great Indian bustard. It is situated very close to the border with Karnataka.

Gujarat’s Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary

The Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Jamnagar district of Gujarat. It is one of the top reserves dedicated to preserving the Indian bustard. It is also a habitat for three important wildlife species: the jungle cat, the Indian wolf, and the golden jackal.

Madhya Pradesh’s Karera and Ghatigaon Sanctuary

The Great Indian Bustard has a sizable population in the Ghatigaon Sanctuary. The Karera Wildlife Sanctuary was established to protect this bird. Madhya Pradesh has chosen to decertify the sanctuary due to local resistance.

Check out the linked article to download the notes on the Causes of Biodiversity Loss for UPSC Exams now!

Great Indian Bustard UPSC Quick Facts 

The below table gives an overview of the important facts about the Great Indian Bustard:

Great Indian Bustard – Key Facts 

Scientific Facts 

Kingdom- Animalia

Class- Aves

Genus- Ardeotis

Family- Otididae

Scientific Name- Ardeotis nigriceps

Local Name

Godavan

Height

1 to 1.2 meter

Weight

15 Kgs

Population

150 in India (Wildlife Institute of India Study)

Around 200 Worldwide

Population Distribution

India and Pakistan

Habitat

Grass Plains, Scrublands, Dry and Semi-dry Grasslands

Food

Arthropods, worms, grass seeds, berries, rodents, reptiles

IUCN Status

Critically Endangered

Reasons for Extinction

Habitat Loss, Hunting, Collision with Power Lines

Popular National Parks and Sanctuaries

Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Solapur, Maharashtra

WWF-India Initiatives for Conservation of the Species

Inputs to expand the ‘Guidelines for the State Action Plan for Resident Bustard Recovery Program.’

Raising awareness and making efforts to lift funds for the purpose.

Check out the linked article to download the notes on Desertification for UPSC Exams now!

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Great Indian Bustard - FAQs

The Great Indian Bustard is considered to be severely endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (which indicates that its population is decreasing).

Ashok Gehlot, the honourable chief minister of Rajasthan, initiated the Project Great Indian Bustard on June 5th, 2013 with the goal of conserving the very last remaining population of the critically endangered species.

There are many national parks in India for the Great Indian Bustard, but the most well-known is the Desert National Park near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. About 122 severely endangered GIB species can be found in this national park.

According to research by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), these birds have poor frontal vision, and at least 10 of them have been reported killed after colliding with electricity lines, including two that were tagged.

In the Indian subcontinent, the great Indian bustard lives in arid grasslands and scrublands; Rajasthan in India is home to the majority of its population.

The Ardeotis Nigriceps is protected at the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary which is located in Solapur, Maharashtra, India.

There are now only 150 Great Indian Bustards surviving, with Jaisalmer housing the majority of them. They are losing lives due to collisions with high-voltage power wires at a rate of 15% each year.
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