Project Great Indian Bustard:
The Supreme Court of India recently requested the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change to consider launching ‘Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB)’ like one for tigers.
- The Great Indian Bustard, found mainly in the Indian subcontinent, is the flagship grassland species of India.
- It is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and India’s heaviest flying bird.
- The male bird weighs upto 12-15 kg and female bird up to 5-8 kg.
- Its population of about 150 in Rajasthan accounts for 95% of its total world population.
- They are mainly in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, including the Desert National Park which is the natural habitat of the species.
- Grasslands of Kutch in Gujarat which is home to second-largest bustard population in India.
- Arid regions of Maharashtra (Solapur), Karnataka (Bellary and Haveri) and Andhra Pradesh (Kurnool)
- It is the State bird of Rajasthan.
Conservation status:
- Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972,
- Listed in Appendix I of CITES,
- Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
