Context: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has approved Rs 56 crore for the next phase of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and Lesser Florican conservation.
Since 2016, the Wildlife Institute of India has led a conservation program for the long-term recovery of the Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican. The next phase, planned from 2024 to 2033, focuses on habitat development, in-situ conservation, completing a conservation breeding centre, and releasing captive-bred birds. These efforts aim to protect these endangered species, which include the Bengal Florican and Houbara Bustard among others.
About the Bustards:
Great Indian Bustard
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The Great Indian Bustard is classified as critically endangered under Schedule I and IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and listed under Appendix I of CITES. It is part of a Species Recovery Program due to its declining population. |
| The male bustards do not participate in incubating or caring for their young. They are omnivorous and adapt opportunistically to their grassland habitat, predominantly found in Rajasthan and Gujarat, with smaller populations in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. | |
Lesser Florican
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The Lesser Florican, also critically endangered, is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and shares the same grassland endemicity across the Indian subcontinent. |
| Male floricans are noticeably smaller and lighter than females and are known for their aerial courtship displays. They inhabit areas in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. |
Source: IE
