Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], March 29 : Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia stated that, through the combined efforts of the Forest Departments of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Union Ministry of Environment, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), a significant milestone has been achieved in wildlife conservation.
The birth of a Great Indian Bustard ('Ghorad') chick in the Abdasa rgion of Kutch after a decade marked a proud moment for all.
Providing further details, the Forest Minister stated that the Gujarat Forest Department has achieved a significant milestone in wildlife conservation under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi. He lauded the efforts of the Wildlife Division officers and congratulated all those involved in making the campaign a success.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav also commended the joint efforts of the Environment Ministry, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) by sharing his appreciation on X.
Forest Minister Modhwadia further stated that this achievement was made possible through the use of an advanced conservation method known as the 'Jumpstart Approach'.
In line with the vision presented in 2011 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, for conserving the natural habitat of the Ghorad bird, 'Project GIB' was launched in 2016. The number of birds at the breeding centres established at Sam and Ramdevara in Rajasthan has now increased to 73.
With the absence of male birds in the Ghorad population in Kutch, female birds were laying eggs that remained infertile. To overcome this challenge, a targeted conservation initiative was launched.
A fertile egg of the Great Indian Bustard was collected from a breeding centre in Rajasthan and safely transported to Kutch through a continuous 19-hour road journey in a portable incubator.
On 22 March, the infertile egg in the nest of a female Ghorad in Kutch was replaced with the fertile egg. The female bird incubated the egg naturally, and on 26 March, a healthy chick was born.
At present, the field monitoring team is continuously observing the female Ghorad and its chick. The Minister added that this marks a proud moment for scientists, forest department officials, and wildlife enthusiasts, further strengthening India's commitment to wildlife conservation and ecological preservation.
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