Endangered Bustard caught in genetic knot- Experts see least diversity in bird

The Telegraph

The first-ever genetic study of the Great Indian Bustard has revealed that this ground bird has the least genetic diversity among several endangered species and is in greater trouble than hitherto believed.

The study by scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehra Dun, has indicated that all of the estimated less than 400 Great Indian Bustards thought to be scattered across six Indian states are descendants from a small flock of no more than a few tens of birds. “This is like finding members of the same family across a large geographical area — the problem is we don’t have Great Indian Bustards outside this family,” said Yadvendradev Jhala, a senior conservation biologist at the WII who led the study. A low genetic diversity in a population increases its vulnerability to ecological threats. The higher the genetic diversity within a species, the greater is the chance that it can adapt to challenges — whether diseases or habitat changes. Conservation scientists estimate that India has lost more than 80 per cent of its Great Indian Bustards over the past 30 years. While the bird is legally protected in India with severe penalties for killing it, loss of habitat from agriculture and development are key threats the birds continue to face. “The low genetic diversity makes conservation efforts even tougher,” Jhala said. The WII scientists analysed genetic material from 78 samples of eggshells, feathers, or faeces of the bird from sites in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Their results, published in the journal Conservation Genetics, show extremely low genetic variability within the birds which the researchers believe has resulted from a precipitous fall in population — something that ecologists call a “bottleneck event”. This historical drop in population appears to have resulted in a small group of a few tens or up to about 100 birds, Jhala said. “What (the Great Indian Bustards) we see today appear to share ancestry with those survivors.” The study was unable to determine the exact timing of the historical population decline, but has indicated that it could have occurred sometime between 20,000 years and 40,000 years ago. The scientists speculate that it could have been caused by climatic changes. The extremely low genetic diversity observed among Great Indian Bustards now places them in the same category as cheetahs, Asiatic lions or Florida panthers — all of which also show low genetic diversity in their remaining populations. The Great Indian Bustard has lower diversity than any of these other species, Jhala said. Some conservation scientists believe that under the current pace of pressures, the Great Indian Bustard could go extinct within the next 15 years or 20 years. The WII scientists have said the findings justify a change in the threat status assigned by the International Union for Conservation of Nature to the Great Indian Bustard from the current “endangered” to “critically endangered”. Such a change in its threat status could stimulate intensified conservation efforts. The researchers have suggested programmes to conserve the birds’ habitats and the launch of conservation breeding to prevent extinction.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110426/jsp/nation/story_13903331.jsp

Locals residents seek early decision on GIB sanctuary area

Times of India

Local people living inside the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) sanctuary in Solapur district have requested for an early decision from the Supreme Court regarding notification of reducing the sanctuary area. A workshop on the Great Indian Bustard conservation was recently held in Solapur. It was organised by the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Indian Bird Conservation Network and the Forest Department (Wildlife - Pune). Sujit Narwade, scientist in charge of the ENVIS, said during the workshop that local residents have expressed concern over the pending decision on rationalisation of boundaries of the sanctuary, because of which they are facing problems while selling or buying properties, since there is confusion over exactly how much area will remain within the proposed sanctuary boundary. He said a proposal from the forest department about reducing the sanctuary area from 8,400 sq km to 1,222 sq km area was sent with an aim to ensure better management. The final decision is yet to come from the Supreme Court. He said that local residents are worried since developmental works like construction of canals and widening of national highways have been stalled because of the pending decision, affecting the livelihood of villagers. Six talukas and many villages are located inside this sanctuary. At the workshop, experts highlighted that to protect and conserve the Great Indian Bustard, local participation and involvement of stakeholders was needed. "There are local volunteers who regularly visit the field and document any sighting of the bustards and their movement. The villagers can also help. At present, there is no study on their local movement. People residing in bustard habitats have co-existed with the birds and there are hopes of revival of this sustainable relationship," Narwade said. The vast expanse of the existing GIB sanctuary in Solapur district, spanning several talukas, has been a controversial issue for long. According to R K Adkar, assistant conservator of forests (wildlife), Pune, issues like rationalisation of boundaries of protected areas needed involvement of people and considerable time. During the workshop, Jagdish Patil, district collector, Solapur, said the issue of reducing the sanctuary area was misinterpreted. He made a proposal of giving comparatively good land in the benefit zone of Ujani dam near Solapur for those whose lands may get acquired. "It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that farmers co-exist with bustards and that some land is made available for its conservation,'' he said. Pramod Patil of the Great Indian Bustard foundation, Pune, emphasised on the important aspect of using organic fertilisers, traditional cropping patterns and proper habitat management for bustard conservation.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Locals-residents-seek-early-decision-on-GIB-sanctuary-area/articleshow/7696257.cms

For the love of bustard

Afternoon

In order to sustain the relationship between the villagers and the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) Centre of Avian Ecology at Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) and the Forest Department, Wildlife (Pune) held a joint conference in Solapur last week. The workshop on GIB conservation comprised participants from the forest department, birdwatchers, lawyers, students, and villagers from across the state supporting bustard conservation. Sujit Narwade, Scientist in-charge, ENVIS Centre, said, “Thanks to the support from the locals, the bustards have been surviving for generations. However in the current situation the bird needs collective efforts from every Solapurkar.” Villagers earlier had protested against GIB Sanctuary as they had expressed concern over the pending decision of rationalization of its boundaries, because they are facing problems in sale deed activities. Developmental work such as construction of canals and road widening of national highways has been stalled, affecting livelihood of villagers. The vast expanse of the existing GIB Sanctuary in Solapur, spanning several talukas for a long time has been a simmering issue. Moreover, the Pune Forrest Department is also in favour of reducing the sanctuary area for its better management. However, the final decision is yet to come from the Supreme Court. It is also notable that GIBs have been spotted even outside the sanctuary limits. This highlights the importance of non-protected areas in conservation. Legal aspects of GIB conservation include understanding the details of the Sections and Acts under which GIB has been protected.

Source: http://www.afternoondc.in/city-news/for-the-love-of-bustard/article_19785

Great Indian Bustard declared critically endangered

Times of India

The Great Indian Bustard has recently been declared as critically endangered (CR) by the BirdLife International, a global alliance of conservation organisations, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Environmentalists and experts say that this upgradation of category of the Great Indian Bustard will give priority to its conservation and protection. At present, the bustard population in six states, including Maharashtra, is just 300. The IUCN is an international organisation dedicated to natural resource conservation. The IUCN Red List of threatened species is world-wide considered the most comprehensive and authentic inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. Also, BirdLife's global species programme continually collates up-to-date information on globally threatened birds from the published literature and from a world-wide network of experts. This is used to evaluate the status of each species using the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. This new category for the bustard will be incorporated into the 2011 Red List, which will be released by BirdLife International in May and by the IUCN in September. Till the end of 2010, the Great Indian Bustard or 'Ardeotis nigriceps' was listed as endangered for its severely fragmented small population. It was thought to have a population of 250 to 999 birds, which is suspected to be declining at an estimated rate of 20% to 29% since the last 10 years, primarily because of hunting pressure in some areas and the conversion of grassland habitats to cultivation and pasture, increased pesticide usage and disturbance. The bustard's population has declined from an estimated 1,260 in 1969 to 300 at present. This had prompted experts from the Bombay Natural History Society, Wildlife Institute of India and others to propose that the Great Indian Bustard should be upgraded to critically endangered category. Pramod Patil, who works for the conservation and protection of the Great Indian Bustards in Maharashtra, said the adult population has drastically declined in the bustard sanctuary at Nannaj in Solapur district. The census count by the forest department wildlife division in 2009 was 21, which went down to just nine in 2010. Regarding threats, Patil said, that hunting could still be prevalent in the sanctuary area in Maharashtra, as local people openly admit that they kill bustards. Also, there is no record of breeding in the last three years at breeding spots in the sanctuary. "Increased density of high tension electric wires in the sanctuary has increased chances of bustard collisions and subsequent deaths of the adults. Thus, in this current situation, the upgradation of the Great Indian Bustard to critically endangered will give priority to its conservation,'' he added.

The Success of Male Bustards Is Measured by Their 'Beards'

US News

Up until now it was unknown whether males of the great bustard (Otis tarda), an emblematic bird in Spain and endangered at a global level, transmit information on their weight, size, and age through their plumage. For the first time a study shows that the 'beards' and the design of the neck are "reliable" indicators of the weight and age of their bearers, and are used to both avoid fights with competitors and to attract females. "The heaviest males (best physical condition) make it known to other males through the length and number of 'beards', and thereby avoid bloody fights to ascend in rank which would occur if these signals did not exist", Juan Carlos Alonso, main author and researcher in the Spanish National Museum of Natural Sciences (CSIC) informs SINC. The study, which has been published in Ethology, shows for the first time that great bustard (Otis tarda) males achieve greater reproductive success and avoid "dangerous" and "unnecessary" confrontations due to the extent of development of their plumage. "Despite all this, sporadic fights do occur which lead to, on some occasions, the death of one of the contenders", says Alonso. According to the scientist, when they are being chosen by the females, the oldest males "can compensate for a certain deficit in weight with greater experience thanks to their more advanced age". Over a period of ten years, the researchers analysed wild specimens which were marked with transmitters to monitor the evolution over time of the colouring of their neck, and of the quantity and length of the 'beards' (feathers on both sides of the beak). The team verified that the changes in the plumage of the males were linked to changes in their reproductive success. In the past, "bearded bustards" were hunted for being old and for trophies, a practice which "probably contributed to eliminating many of the most successful specimens, rather than eliminating the senescent ones which do not reproduce", points out the biologist, who adds that this selective hunting could alter the demographic balance of populations.

The sexual dimorphism of bustards

60% of great bustard specimens, an emblematic bird of the Iberian fauna which is endangered at a global level, live in Spain. Their significant sexual dimorphism (difference in size between males and females), "the greatest in all birds and one of the highest amongst vertebrates", is the result of strong sexual selection, which forces the males to compete each year to ascend in the group's hierarchical ladder. Added to this is their "markedly" polygamous nature: "more than half the males do no copulate, and only 10-15% of the best males obtain the majority of the copulations" explains Alonso. Despite the competition between the males, it is the females who ultimately select, from the best, "the one which will father their young". To prove their dominant status to the rest of the males and to the females, the animals use, in addition to the features of the plumage, developed guidelines on sexual behaviour and wooing, notably the display of the lower part of the neck or 'gorget', "which swells up very attractively during mating, thanks to air sacs on the neck", explains the scientist. The males of the majority of bird species have a wide range of colours and shapes in their plumage. They use these adornments against other males, in the same way many mammals with horns and tusks do.

Source: http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2011/02/10/the-success-of-male-bustards-is-measured-by-their-beards

The Management of Nature Conservation-Department of the Presidential Affairs Abu Dhabi- announces a scientific breakthrough to increase Houbara population which is considered to be the first initiative of its kind globally.

Zawya.com

A conference addressing new technologies for propagating the houbara and other endangered species of birds was inaugurated yesterday by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) in the presence HH Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister and His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court and member of the Executive Council. The houbara bustard has for centuries been important to the people of the Arabian peninsula and today it is thrusting Abu Dhabi into the forefront of international science. This week from February 8-10, 65 eminent scientists from around the globe will be meeting at the Emirates Palace Hotel to discuss new technologies for propagating the houbara and other endangered species of birds. Secretary-General of the Executive Council HE Mohammed Ahmed Al Bawardi indicated in his opening speech that the late president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had begun efforts to preserve the Asian Houbara in 1977 in the Al Ain Zoo. Houbara males started to display in February 1980. The first nest for Asian Houbara was observed in 1982, and in the same year the first chick hatched in captivity. The Center also conducted pioneering research, in collaboration and by networking with regional and international organizations to protect natural habitats in a range of countries. As part of this international collaboration, a number of Houbara breeding centers were established including the Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation in Morroco, The Sheikh Khalifa Houbara Breeding Centers in Kazakhstan and Abu Dhabi. Besides, there is a plan to establish centers in Turkmenistan and China to achieve the strategy of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa to produce 50,000 Houbara and release them in their natural habitats extending from China in the East to Morrocco in the West. The total production for Asian and African Houbara reached 18,900 birds in 2010. Under the guidance of His Highness, Sheikh. Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, The Management of Nature Conservation of the Department of the Presidents Affairs accepted the radical idea of using chickens to propagate houbaras. Although the concept had been discussed in scientific circles for some time, the technology to execute had not yet been developed. His Highness had the vision and foresight to fund an international consortium to get the job done. "The achievements that we have accomplished in this project so far reflect our city's and leadership's vision in preserving our nature and wildlife," HE Mohammed Ahmed Al Bawardi added.
The Management of Nature Conservation of the Department of the Presidents Affairs sought the expertise of Drs. van de Lavoir and Etches from Crystal Bioscience, California, USA to get the project underway. Etches and van de Lavoir had recently demonstrated that primordial germ cells could be extracted from chicken embryos and grown in culture. The cultured cells could be used to make large numbers of birds by introducing them into surrogate parents. Two questions remained. Firstly, could the culture system support the growth of primordial germ cells from endangered species of birds such as the houbara? Secondly, could the host surrogate parent produce offspring from donors from a different species? Of course, these questions could not be answered using precious resources from the endangered houbaras. The proof-of-principle experiments were carried out in a laboratory, specially commissioned by the The Department of the Presidents Affairs at UAE and in the laboratories of Crystal Bioscience in California. Using the latest techniques in cell culture and molecular biology, the two groups set out to show that the idea of producing houbaras from chickens is technically possible. Remarkably, the research program revealed that in birds, the parents do not need to be from the same species to produce functional sperm and eggs. The laboratory experiments showed that chickens can routinely be produced from guinea fowl or quail. In one case, Houbara chick was produced from a chicken egg. The stage is now set for the proof-of-principle to be turned into a routine procedure for the propagation of the endangered houbara. This seminal research has attracted the attention of the international scientific community. Their expertise is drawn from 15 countries and includes some very distinguished guests. Professor Sir Martin Evans will give the keynote address at the conference and provide insight into the evolution of this new technology for propagating endangered species of birds. In 1997, Sir Martin Evans shared the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for his pioneering work on mouse embryonic stem cells. Because mouse embryonic stem cells and primordial germ cells from birds share many features, Sir Martin Evans has a unique perspective to bring to the conference. The conference will also be attended by several members of the prestigious Roslin Institute which in 1996 made international headlines by cloning Dolly the Sheep. Professor Helen Sang will be among the Roslin contingent and will be chairing a session of ways of culturing primordial germ cells from birds. In January, Professor Sang and her colleagues published an article in the international journal" Science" describing the production of chickens that do not transmit the deadly avian influenza virus. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding president of the UAE devoted both time and resources to the preservation of the natural habitat of the Arabian peninsula and engagement with the rest of the world . He said, "We cherish our environment because it is an integral part of our country, our history and our heritage. On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so only because they recognized the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live, and to preserve it for succeeding generations. With God's will, we shall continue to work to protect our environment and our wildlife, as did our forefathers before us. It is a duty, and, if we fail, our children, rightly, will reproach us for squandering an essential part of their inheritance, and of our heritage". Through the houbara project and the Symposium being held this week at the Emirates Palace Hotel, The Department of the Presidents Affairs continues the vision of protecting the environment and participating in the latest developments in environmental science on the international stage.

Source: http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20110208125634/The%20Management%20of%20Nature%20Conservation-

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Great Indian Bustard needs ideal breeding sites: Experts
Environmentalists have expressed concern over the lack of ideal breeding sites for the Great Indian Bustard in the Nannaj sanctuary in Solapur district, which they say, has contributed to the rapid decline in the number of the critically endangered bird. Pramod Patil, who is active in protecting and conserving the Bustard in the state, has written a letter to the minister of environment and forests Jairam Ramesh and forest department urging them to acquire the recommended 434 hectare of privately owned land inside the sanctuary. The land, he said, cuts across the core area of the Great Indian Bustard sanctuary at Nannaj. Acquisition of this land will lead to formation of a continuous patch of grassland that can be utilised by the Bustard for breeding, the letter states. Patil told TOI that the most crucial need in bustard conservation is that of providing undisturbed compact core breeding areas, which is possible only by acquiring this land as it runs into the core area of the sanctuary. Patil said the current major threat to the Bustard population in the state is disturbance during breeding process. "We are not getting any record of Bustard breeding since last three years in this sanctuary. Heavy grazing, human interference and movement of heavy vehicles are the major disturbing factors,'' he said. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) had recommended acquisition of this 434 hectare land several years back. The BNHS thinks that habitat protection and development of core areas for breeding in a large multiple-use area will help increase the endangered bird's population. "This year's census spotted nine bustards in the sanctuary, as against 21 last year. I hope land acquisition happens before the Bustards become extinct," said Patil. "The required cost of Rs. 14 crore, as calculated by the state government, can be provided under any appropriate central provision fund,'' the letter stated.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Great-Indian-Bustard-needs-ideal-breeding-sites-Experts/articleshow/7067887.cms#ixzz16vPmMz9W

Houbara hunting permits issued to Gulf dignitaries

The federal government has issued 28 special permits to the rulers, members of ruling families and other dignitaries of four Gulf states to hunt the internationally protected Houbara bustard during the 2010-2011 season, according to reliable sources. The sources said that, according to the code of conduct, the hunting period is restricted to 10 days with a bag limit of 100 birds. Hunting of Houbara bustard by Pakistanis is banned under wildlife laws. Houbara bustard, a native to Central Asia`s Kuzl Kum region, around the Aral Sea, is a migratory bird species that visits Pakistan every year to escape the harsh winter. The bird is sought after by Arab hunters owing to a myth that its meat has aphrodisiac qualities — a notion not supported by scientific evidence. The United Arab Emirates tops the list with 13 hunting permits — 11 of these have been awarded to the ruler and ruling family members. Five of these have been granted to people from Abu Dhabi and six from Dubai.

ABU DHABI : Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, has been allotted hunting areas in three provinces. In Punjab he has been granted Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur and D.G. Khan districts, in Sindh Sukkur, Ghotki, Nawabshah and Sanghar districts and in Balochistan his areas comprise Zhob, Ormara, Gwadar, Pasni, Panjgur and Washuk districts. Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown prince of Abu Dhabi, can hunt in Lehri Tehsil of Sibi district, Balochistan. Deputy prime minister of UAE, Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, has been permitted to hunt in Khairpur district, including Kot Diji.

DUBAI: Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice-president of UAE and ruler of Dubai, has been permitted to hunt in Khuzdar and Lasbela districts of Balochistan and Muzaffargarh district in Punjab.

SAUDI ARABIA: Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud has been allotted Chagai and Nushki districts of Balochistan. Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz, interior minister and brother of King Abdullah, has been permitted to hunt in Dera Bugti, Dera Murad Jamali, Nasirabad and Awaran districts of Balochistan. In Punjab his territory comprises Khushab, Jhang, Mianwali and Sargodha districts.

QATAR: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the amir of Qatar, has been allotted Bahawalnagar district in Punjab.

Source: http://public.dawn.com/2010/11/10/houbara-hunting-permits-issued-to-gulf-dignitaries.html

Egg of Great Indian Bustard found

The efforts put in by naturalists to get the egg of the endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), found by them in grassland in Sirguppa taluk, Bellary district, hatched, has become futile. During a recent regular monitoring trip, Forest Wildlife warden Santosh Martin, along with Samad Kottur and Anand Kundargi, naturalists, were delighted to see an egg of the GIB lying at a place in Sirguppa taluk. They were happy to learn that breeding of GIB was still taking place in the area. However, they were surprised by the fact that the egg had been abandoned by the bird. Unable to find any reason for that, the naturalists concluded that the mother might have been killed or had probably left the place. Later, after constant monitoring for several days and concluding that the egg had been abandoned, the naturalists took the egg and incubated under a chicken, after obtaining permission from B.K. Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife), and under the guidance of Bharat Bhushan. Mr. Martin told The Hindu that the chicken adopted the egg, although it was bigger than its own egg. But, after incubating it for about 16 days, the hatching process did not take place and the egg was destroyed by the chicken, he said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/11/01/stories/2010110159600300.htm

Hopes of reviving Great Indian Bustard dashed

Three years ago in 2006,  wildlife enthusiasts in the State were delighted on spotting the Great Indian Bustards- the critically endangered bird, in a remote village of Bellary. However, the joy proved to be short-lived as the bustards had abandoned the village following human interference and had left an egg behind. To make matters worse, the hen selected to incubate the egg, destroyed it making the bird illusory in the State. Naturalist and honorary wildlife warden of Bellary Santosh Martin, Society for Wildlife and Nature (SWaN) President Samad Kottur along with another wildlife enthusiast Anand Kundargi were a witness to the GIB sighting in 2006. However, they were shocked to see the egg being abandoned on a barren patch of land in the village. “ We had sighted the GIB incubating and were thrilled about it. Unfortunately, later the egg was found abandoned for unknown reasons. We could only suspect that the mother might have been disturbed by some locals or it could have been killed by poachers,” explained Martin. Moreover, the naturalists waited for three days to check if the mother would come back to take her egg. However, after realising that the mother had abandoned the egg, it was taken to be incubated by a hen. “ We obtained permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden B K Singh and guidance from Dr Bharat Bushan of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS),” said Martin. Even though, the hen adopted the egg initially, weeks later the egg was found destroyed. What now remains of the egg are remnants of the shell and a bit of yolk. "The sighting of the GIB in 2006 could turn out to be the last sighting in the region. The bird is very sensitive to human interference and any kind of disturbance,” said Samad. If this egg had hatched, it would have been the second hatching in the State after the first hatching in Ranebennur in the early 1980s. With an estimated 300 of Great Indian Bustards remaining in the world, the experts believe that if protective measures are not taken the birds are sure to become extinct.

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/109367/hopes-reviving-indian-bustard-dashed.html

Great trouble for Indian Bustard

From a record 33 in 2007 to a shocking nine now. The dwindling numbers of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) in Nannaj Bustard Sanctuary, Solapur, have set the alarm bells ringing in Maharashtra. The state is home to second highest population of magnificent ground pheasant after Rajasthan. GIB is probably more endangered than tigers and leopards and is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The annual census conducted in Nannaj on August 29 came up with shocking numbers. The nine birds sighted included two males, six females and one sub-adult. In the annual exercise conducted from August 3-5, in GIB pockets in Vidarbha, only five birds (two males and three females) were sighted in Warora in Chandrapur district. The Nagpur forest division, which had three GIBs in Temasna, Mahalgaon and Umred, drew a blank for the second consecutive year this time. Chief wildlife warden D C Pant, however, allayed fears over poor numbers. He said, "We cannot make immediate conclusions nor we can be complacent. In Nannaj, there were incessant rains on the census day and hence visibility was poor," he said. Pant promised to earmark some areas for the GIBs. However, veteran bird expert Gopal Thosar, who has been working for GIB conservation and helps the forest department conduct monitoring exercise in the region, said it was not a good sign. He warned that poor sightings indicated that people may have no more remained GIB-friendly. The tall grassland bird is alive only because of farmers` efforts. "It is high time the wildlife wing of the forest department chalks out a comprehensive action plan to save it," Thosar felt. Thosar added the GIB had adopted flat farm lands as its habitat as grasslands are vanishing slowly. Mines and power plants are emerging threats. Hence, farmers protecting these birds on their land need to be honoured and benefited. Two years ago, he had felicitated 40 Warora farmers in whose farms GIBs were sighted. They were honoured for unwittingly protecting the GIBs. "The forest department has a good network and the GIB pockets can be saved only by strengthening this network. It is high time people are now involved in GIB protection," the expert opined. Dr Pramod Patil, working for GIB conservation in Nannaj, sounded a note of caution too. "This year we observed many threats to the GIBs. Grazing is rampant and disturbance has affected breeding of GIBs. Farmers have no more remained GIB-friendly. They are feeling now that birds are a hurdle in development," Dr Patil told TOI. Even forest officials agree that farmers were seeing GIBs as hurdle. They are driving off GIBs from their farms. "We need to develop grasslands if the birds are to be saved," an official said. Dr Patil strongly felt that GIBs had no future unless captive breeding was started. "There may not be more than 20 GIBs in the state now. Their number is stagnant as fresh breeding was not taking place. The state and Centre should work out a plan to save the bird," Dr Patil said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Great-trouble-for-Indian-Bustard/articleshow/6539119.

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Heavy rain a boon for the Great Indian Bustard
The heavy rain this year has cheered birds lover in the state in more ways than one. If the rain has spelt good for the Keoladeo national park, it has also sprung hopes for the endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) at the Desert National Park (DNP). During his visit to Jaisalmer, R N Mehrotra, principal chief conservator of forest and head of forest forces, visited the Sudashri area with Rajpal Singh, member of state wildlife board.  "The rain has turned the area into a lush green grassland. And that spells good for the Great Indian Bustard's egg for it will give them a much-needed camouflage protecting it from its enemies," said Rajpal Singh. The Great India Bustard lays its egg on the ground, making it vulnerable to predators besides exposing it to trampling. "But this time, apart from the forest being closed to visitors, a special tower has been built at Sudashri area so as to help visitors see the birds without actually entering the forest," he added. The duo spotted four Bustard chicks and forest officials are hopeful of more young ones being born this time. "The area of Chelasar Nari and Gajai Mata at the DNP is also likely to be developed into good habitats for the bird while the Saner-Mokla area between Jaisalmer and Ramgarh may be developed into a possible conservation reserve," Mehrotra said. The GIB is highly endangered with only about 300 birds in the country. Of this, Rajasthan has half the population. After the tigers, the state forest department has set its sight on this bird. The department has plans for not only the relocation of some of the villages at the DNP but also fencing the grassland here. The DNP is close to the India- Pakistan border and is spread over an area of 3,061 sq km. However, depleting grassland has been a worry for the GIB here. "Currently, the park supports about 70 to 75 Bustards. This is a critical stage. We have to take immediate steps to ensure the population of the birds," Mehrotra said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Heavy-rain-a-boon-for-the-Great-Indian-Bustard/

articleshow/6477285.cms

Need to conserve core area for Great Indian bustard

BHUJ: After Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh recently took up the cause of endangered Great Indian bustard and wrote to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to conserve one of the last remaining habitats of the golden birds the Adbasa (banni) grasslands in Kutch, bird experts and scientists have called for urgent measures to create awareness and a core conservation area for bustard conservation.  According to Wild Life International, there are only 300 bustards left, out of which 70 per cent birds are found in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, 30 birds in Nanaj near Solapur and 32 were found in Kutch.  This information means 10% of the bustard population of world is living in Kutch.  Another naturalist, asking for anonymity, said, "Due to industrialisation and changing lifestyle of Maldharis of Kutch, who used to live a nomadic life, has affected the grasslands. The forest department has initiated a campaign to save the bird a few years ago, but no results have been seen yet."  "The government has provided 200 hectares of land from Naliya to Laijao in Mandvi taluka, but it is fragmented grassland and not continuous land. So, in a way, it's in bits and pieces, which is of no help. In between, there is private land, land owned by forest department and there is no continuity which is a big danger for the bird as it does not know the difference between private farm and forest land. The bird is a big bird and this much land is not enough," he further explained. Centre For Desert and Forest (CFDF), an NGO which is working in this direction, suggests that industrial houses, government and public must act as it is the right time before we lose a beautiful bird. For breeding and conservation, a core conservation centre must be started and some area must be notified specially for this purpose.  "Bustard is a unique identity of Kutch grasslands. Bird lovers across the world visit Kutch to see this beautiful bird. I have hosted bird lovers from 22 countries. I spend at least 300 days of the year in bird watching as this is not only my passion, but also my livelihood. At present, there are three species of bustard present in Kutch which include Indian Bustard, lessar florican and macquins. It's a proud thing for Kutch that birds lovers across the world are looking towards Kutch for conservation," said J K Tiwari, who runs CFDF.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Need-to-conserve-core-area-for-Great-Indian-bustard/articleshow/6238319.cms

Great Indian bustard may soon be extinct

It may not be long before we lose the great Indian bustard forever.The very existence of the bird, which was once touted as a strong contender to replace the peacock as the national bird in the 1960s, is in crisis. As its only habitat in Naliya in Kutch grasslands is being converted to agricultural land and thus would be lost for the bird forever. Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh,in an letter to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on June 9, wrote that the grasslands of Kutch were one of the last remaining pockets that hold promise for recovery of great Indian bustard (GIB). “Conservationists and researchers working in Kutch have brought to my attention the opening of areas in Abdasa grasslands in Naliya (Kutch), a prime breeding ground for the bustard, for agriculture. I am writing to request you to immediately intervene and prevent the diversion of revenue gauchar land (grassland) to agriculture, and to ensure that the district officials support the Naliya conservation initiatives.If we do not intervene, the possibility of the bustard becoming extinct in Gujarat is very real and high,” Ramesh wrote. He further mentioned, “A researcher also forwarded a photograph that clearly shows the marking for new agricultural plot.” There are 22 species of bustards in the world, 16 of which are found in Africa. Indian subcontinent had six species: GIB, houbara or Macqueen’s bustard, lesser florican and Bengal florican, but in the last 80 years, there has been no record of the existence of the Great and Little bustards.Houbara bustard is purely migratory and seen in arid parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat during winters. A recent study by Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (Geer) foundation had revealed that bustards were distributed over 996 sq km with a core area of 97 sq km. However, only 2 sq km was protected as a sanctuary. The study suggested that Kanothia, Kalatalav,Bhachunda,Vinghaber and Parjau, which are revenue areas, be acquired under forest land rules. Destruction of GIB’s habitat was the major cause, apart from hunting, of their dwindling numbers. Grasslands, the bustards prime habitat, were under tremendous pressure from overgrazing, expanding agricultural fields and urbanisation. The state till date does not have a clearcut grazing policy. If grasslands were protected under bustard protection, they would provide fodder to livestock once the bustard breeding season is over. 

Source: http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin

=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIA/2010/06/28&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=5&EntityId=Ar00500&AppName=1

28 Apr, 2010

Chicken helps to give threatened Houbara Bustard new lease of life - Breeding technique will help ease pressure on wild population

  Image Credit: Source: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) in Dubai; D.Trazo/©Gulf

Dubai: The threatened Houbara Bustard, the ultimate quarry of falconers, has been given a new lease of life thanks to the humble chicken. Implanted with Houbara Bustard germ cells at ‘egg stage' in a feat somewhat reminiscent of science fiction, the rooster, complete with red comb and other chicken-like characteristics, is able to produce Houbara Bustard semen. Avian species with which this can be done are scientifically called chimeric, as they host another bird's cells. The semen from the chimeric rooster is then used to artificially inseminate a female Houbara Bustard to produce pure Houbara Bustard chicks. In captivity this means the houbara, which is usually a seasonal breeder, can be bred year-round, alleviating pressure on the wild populations that are dwindling due to habitat loss and hunting.

Years in the making

Dr Ulrich Wernery, scientific director of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) in Dubai, has been working with his team on this cutting-edge technique for the past eight years. In the future, CVRL hopes to breed Houbara Bustards from chimera hens and roosters, but more research is required. "Houbara Bustards are quite difficult to breed. There are several projects in the region to breed them but we wanted to find a different, not a natural way, to breed them," said Wernery. "Houbara Bustards are far from the chicken but their cells can settle in them." Houbara Bustards range across North Africa, the Middle East and western Asia and breed from December to March, when the climate is temperate in these regions. If the weather is too hot or too cold, male Houbara Bustards do not produce sperm. "Breeding programmes here provide the birds with air-conditioned rooms to prolong the breeding season. With artificial insemination we will be able to prolong this for much longer," said Wernery. "If this technique is available, in a number of years we can keep endangered species from going extinct." Birds are difficult to clone, said Wernery, so this advanced germ-stem implantation is a great success. "Houbara Bustards are on the decline. We would like to breed them to support falconers. Captive breeding will help recover the numbers being hunted in the wild," said Wernery. According to scientists at CVRL, their Houbara Bustard chick hatched on March 21 after about 23 days, in line with the normal incubation period of 22 to 24 days. To protect the eggs of Houbara Bustards, several trials were done with ducks, guinea fowl and quails over the years. Ducklings were successfully hatched from a chimeric chicken and duck hen. Several groups in the UAE release captive-bred Houbara Bustards into the wild. Most recently, 70 were released in the western region in January, after being raised at the National Avian Research Centre of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation.

For further details - http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/chicken-helps-to-give-threatened-houbara-bustard-new-lease-of-life-1.619026

Saving Gharod: Villagers ask Forest dept to remove encroachment near sanctuary in Kutch

Residents of Naliya and the neighbouring villages have asked the district authorities to remove the illegal encroachments in and around the Kutch Bustard Sanctuary within two months in a bid to protect the endangered Great Indian Bustard, also known as Gharod. Villagers have said the encroachments have disturbed the habitat of the birds, which lives in the grasslands. Listed in Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the bird is classified as ‘endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List 2002. IUCN has warned that the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) will become extinct within a decade as only 500 as estimated to be left. It’s international trade and killing is prohibited, as it is listed in Appendix-I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Naliya village sarpanch Satish Thakker said: “The gharod needs no disturbance; we have requested the Forest Department officers and the Revenue authorities to stop the illegal encroachment. Around 200 acres, which was transferred to the Forest Department by the Revenue authorities, is illegally encroached for cotton farming. Nothing has been done so far to take action against the illegal farming.” He added: “More than 150 representatives from Naliya, Jhakhau, Lala, Budiya, Kothara, Bhanala and Mokarsinhvaant visited the forest officers three days ago. They have asked for some more time to remove the illegal encroachments.” M M Joshi of the Gauchar Jameen Bachav Samiti said: “More than 200 acres of grazing land is illegally occupied by the people. On top of it, even Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Limited (DGVCL) has given connections to these illegal establishments. I have written to the district authorities on this.” Gharod is found in some parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh in India and Sindh in Pakistan. The state Forest Department census of 2006 shows around 48 birds in the Kutch Bustard Sanctuary. But Bombay Nature History Society Director Asad Rahmani believes the number has gone below that. Alike Project Tiger, Rahmani is also running a programme by the name of Project Bustard — supported by other international wildlife protection organisations. He said: “BNHS has cautioned the IAF field near Naliya not to allow any encroachment 10 kilometres from the main airfield. But illegal establishments have come up and no action has been taken against the encroachers.” He added: “Instead of putting money on petty issues, the forest officers and the state government should understand that the birds should be left alone. The government should try to develop establishments and also construct check dams. This species does not require much water to survive.” He further said: “Previously, the grassland was announced as a sanctuary only to conserve the birds. The villagers are also ready to support the government initiative. But nothing is being done to remove the illegal encroachments or prevent new constructions from coming up here.” Kutch District Collector M Thennarsan was unavailable for comments. R L Meena, Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Kutch Circle, said: “The Forest Department has identified the problem and we will help the villagers figure out the encroached grazing land. The Forest Department requires some more time, but will take action as quickly as possible.”

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/saving-gharod-villagers-ask-forest-dept-to-remove-encroachment-near-sanctuary-in-kutch/595944/0

King of Grasslands

Once upon a time….’ might sound like a wonderful opening line for telling fairytales, stories and fables. But when it is the beginning of the story of extinction of a magnificent bird or animal, where there is no return, a happy ending cannot be promised. And while fables work best towards making children sleep, stories such as these are best taken as wake up calls, for adults! Appealing to save the endangered Great Indian Bustard, also known as Maldhok, a picturesque bird that rules the dry grasslands of Maharashtra, is Dr Pramod Patil, a bird enthusiast. Patil had recently called a press conference wherein he stressed on the importance of the bird from the point of view of a balanced ecosystem and thus the need to conserve the same for the protection of the environment. “There are about 23 species of Bustards in the world and Maldhok is the most endangered amongst all of them. Bustards are estimated to be less than 500 in number the world over, of which about 300 are in Rajasthan, 42 in Maharashtra and 30 to 40 in Rollapadu and surrounding areas,” says Patil. Throwing light on the reason behind their declining numbers, Patil adds, “The Great Indian Bustard, once probably one of the most frequently found birds on the planet, made their home in the primary forests that were spread across thousands of acres of India. The number started declining due to the hunting that was a result of development of agriculture as well as urbanisation. One of the heaviest species of birds to fly, Bustards are magnificent, over 90 cm tall, long-necked and long-legged birds belonging to the avian family of Otididae. The Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary at Solapur is the only sanctuary in India that has shown growth in the bird population while all others have recorded negative growth thus putting the bird in the extinction category. “This means that the present habitat and conditions in the Solapur sanctuary are perfect for the growth of the bird and should be retained at any cost,” says Patil. Referring to the book published on Maldhok by Asad Rahmani, director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Patil says that the conservation of the bird has to be run on the lines of Project Tiger. “Despite categorising the species as endangered, not many efforts are being taken to save the bird. The hunting and use of pesticides still continues in that region. It is the responsibility of the government to take all the necessary actions to save the bird. Else, the story of Great Indian Bustard is sure to have a sad ending and that too, quite soon if the rate at which they are diminishing continues,” he says before concluding.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/king-of-grasslands/582626/

Environmental threat: Central team to visit Kutch sanctuary

A six-member Central Empowered Committee (CEC) formed by the Supreme Court will start its two-day visit to Kutch Wild Ass Sanctuary from Saturday. The committee will monitor issues such as violation of Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. The team will visit Kutch Wild Ass Sanctuary, Kandla, Gandhidham free timber zone and Naliya to look into to complaints made by various NGOs on environmental issues. The committee is headed by P V Jaykrishnan, secretary to Centre in Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), M K Jiwrajka, member secretary of MoEF, Director General (Forests) Dilip Kumar, former chief wildlife warden (Orissa) S K Patnaik, M M Muthut, former member of Food and Agriculture Officer (FAO), and Supreme Court advocate Mahendra Vyas. The committee has the right to take representation of any group, which stands for the protection of environment. The members will be monitoring the impact of windmills on Great Indian Bustard near Naliya Grasslands. CEC members are primarily visiting Kutch Wild Ass Sanctuary to monitor the impact of power transmission lines Tata and Adani. They will also examine the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) pipeline including Power Corporation of India transmission line in their inspection, said state forest department Principal Secretary S K Nanda. “The members’ aim is to select a saw mill zone after Gandhidham has been declared as a timber-free zone in Gujarat other than Haldia. They will meet people and officials at Kandla as well as in Gandhidham to inspect if only imported timber is being used,” said Nanda.

Restore grasslands to protect 'Maldhok'

Source: http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100216/5080034298759666083.htm

Panel nod for reducing area of bustard home, with a rider

The Central Committee on Reconciliation of Boundaries of Protected Area (PAs) has accepted the long-pending demand for reduction of the 8,500-sq km Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Sanctuary overlapping Solapur and Ahmednagar districts to 1,223 sq km, provided Maharashtra compensates for it by increasing the PAs elsewhere, said Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Alok Joshi. "The committee headed by Additional Director General (Forests) M B Lal accepted the demand today," said Joshi who was in New Delhi to attend the meeting. "The local people had been demanding this since a lot of issues had cropped up due to the vast area, perhaps the biggest sanctuary area in India, being closed for developmental activities and even impeded regular activities like agriculture due to its PA status. We will wait and see if the committee tags it to simultaneous raising of other PA areas or frees it immediately." The committee, however, rejected the proposal to remove the Jyotirlinga temple area from Bhimashanker Sanctuary in Pune district. The temple attracts thousands of devotees on Mahashivratri and Tripuri Pournima days, with people complaining of lack of facilities due to strict forest laws. According to Joshi, the rider was owing to the fact that since deduction of more than 7,300 sq km from the state's total 15,000 sq km area would drastically reduce the PA area percentage (by nearly 50 per cent) in the state. "So, the committee said there has to be an increase in PA somewhere else¿ The committee also insisted in handing over forest areas to the Forest Department currently controlled by Revenue Department as a pre-condiction." People in Nanaj and other areas in the two districts as also the adjoining Nashik have been locked in a fight with the government over the vast area being prohibited for them. The state had earlier proposed reducing the area to 347 sq km, but the Central committee had rejected it. "In case of Bhimashanker, the committee was of the opinion that development issues can be taken care of without removing the temple part."

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/panel-nod-for-reducing-area-of-bustard-home-with-a-rider/567942/0

Recovery programme for Great Indian Bustard

At least fifteen species of bustards including Great Indian Bustard have been shortlisted for initiating their recovery programme, environment minister Jairam Ramesh told Lok Sabha. "Financial provision of Rs 10 crore for such recovery programmes have been made in the existing centrally-sponsored scheme 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats'," he said adding conservationists have been requesting for launching 'Project Bustard'. Replying to a written question, he said that financial assistance to the extent of Rs 39.58 lakh has been provided during the current year for conservation of Great Indian Bustard in Rajasthan. Ramesh said that two Great Indian Bustards were sighted at Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan in the first week of August this year.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Recovery-programme-for-Great-Indian

-Bustard-/articleshow/5268257.cms

Grassland brings back Great Indian Bustard

In a unique experiment of habitat management, the forest department (wildlife), Pune has rejuvenated the grassland in some areas of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) sanctuary in Nanaj in Solapur district. The effort has alsohelped the birds. The forest department in 2008 had uprooted 15,240 trees spread over 61 acres in the sanctuary. Later, the Kolhapur-based green NGO Gahivar Foundation reported sighting of the Great Indian Bustard and 15 other bird species. The foundation has been pressing for removal of the woodland and restoring the grassland in the sanctuary. "These trees were planted by the social forestry department on the grassland decades ago. Over a period of time, the grassland was converted into thick woodland. As the Great Indian Bustard is a grassland bird, the trees created problems," founder of Gahivar Foundation Pramod Patil said. According to Patil, the Great Indian Bustard prefers wide open short grass plains and open scrubland with scattered trees. In 2002, director of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Asad Rahmani had recommended the need for active habitat management in the sanctuary. Acting on the recommendations of BNHS, the forest department (wildlife) Pune in 2006 submitted a proposal to principal chief conservator of forests (Maharashtra) for uprooting and cutting the trees. The actual work began in March 2008 under the guidance of conservator of forest (wildlife) Pune YLP Rao. Forest officials said trees on 24.71 acres in Nanaj and 37 acres in Karamba inside the sanctuary were removed by the end of 2008. This year, the restoration of grasslands has started showing healthy results. Patil and others who visited sanctuary in August sighted the Great Indian Bustard on newly developed grassland. "Fifteen bird species were also spotted and majority of which are grassland birds. The observations suggest the acceptance of newly opened habitat by these bird species," he said. After the success of this project, the forest department has proposed the removal of 5,244 more trees in Mardi, Akolekati and Karamba.A Great Indian Bustard that was spotted.

Source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8111/is_20091111/ai_n50967665/

Great Indian Bustard spotted in Barmer

The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) was seen in Barmer after a long gap of 10 years. Three birds were sighted in an agricultural field near the border line between Jaisalmer and Barmer. The precious birds were spotted by ex-army men posted in the region and were verified afterwards by a forester. The GIB is listed as an endangered species in Barmer, which constitutes a part of the Desert National Park (DNP), has brought delight to the ornithologists and foresters as the forest department has sent a ` 2 crore proposal to the centre to start a bustard project in DNP. There are just about 300 such birds left in the country, out of which 70-75 are in DNP which is a critical number. The bustards are found only in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh.

Source: http://www.mynews.in/News/Great_Indian_Bustard_spotted_in_Barmer_N28122.html

The forest officials in Madhya Pradesh have gone into an alert following the death of near extinct a great Indian bustard after having recovered it in a critical condition from a forest. The great Indian bustard, locally known as 'Son Chiriya', is found in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The bird is on the verge of extinction and its current population is estimated at less than 1,000. Madhya Pradesh is reportedly said to have been left with less than twenty birds despite steps taken by the government to protect this rare species. Though an area has been created and funds have been allotted to protect the bird, the steps have not been enough to safeguard these birds. Just five days ago, a great Indian bustard was found in a critical condition in a forest and the forest department was not able to save it. The forest authorities are now investigating the cause of the bird's death. "A team has been put in place to conduct necessary tests in the laboratory. Some problem has been detected in the stomach, but there is no problem in the lungs. There are no traces of infection in the area, but I think the dead bird had suffered from paralysis in its legs and wings," said Dr. A. K Mittal, a doctor. The government has asked the concerned authorities to protect these birds under the Great Indian Bustard Project and are annually allotting 3 to 3.5 million rupees for it. "An area of 512 sq km has been provided. The area has been put under the management of the forest department. We receive 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 rupees as funds to protect these birds per year," said V.K Saxena, President, Great Indian Bustard Project, Gwalior. The project authorities have announced monetary inducements to encourage peoples' involvement in conservation effort. It has offered cash prize award to every person who finds these birds and informs the authorities about it. A cash prize of Rs. 1000 is offered to every person who finds this bird and an amount of 10,000 to the person who finds bustard capable of reproducing. The bustard prefers dry, short grasslands where the vegetation is below its eye level. It is a terrestrial creature. It avoids dense grasslands as it hampers its movement.

Source: http://www.dailyindia.com/show/273422.php

Central panel to decide on pruning bustard sanctuary

The Supreme Court has referred the Maharashtra government's proposal to reduce the size of the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary to the central empowered committee set up by it. The sanctuary spans across the two districts of Solapur and Ahmednagar in the states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Following recommendations by a series of committees, the state government has submitted a proposal to reduce nearly 350 sq-km from the 8,496 sq-km area of the sanctuary. "On the basis of the recommendations, we have submitted a comprehensive proposal to the apex court. A week ago, the court referred our plea to the central empowered committee,'' a senior forest official told TOI on Wednesday. Way back in 1979, the Centre had notified an area of 8,496 sq-km in the Solapur-Ahmadnagar districts for setting up the sanctuary. As a result, all non-forest activities in the entire area came to a grinding halt. Later, it was found that villagers in the notified areas were facing inconvenience-parts of Solapur as well as Ahmadnagar township were included in the sanctuary area. Subsequently, a survey was conducted to examine the basic issues raised by the villagers. Then it was proposed that action should taken against forest officials for violation of the Forest Conservation Act, necessary changes should be made in the land records and there should be rationalisation of sanctuary area. In year 2000, a high-level task force-headed by Ranjeet Singh-was set up to examine the findings of the survey. The task force, too, recommended that in view of the inconvenience caused to the villagers, the size of the sanctuary should be reduced by at least 350 sq-km . "We took note of all these recommendations and accordingly, moved a proposal to reduce the size of the sanctuary,'' the official said. Defending the proposal, the official said it was in larger public interest, since the villagers were restrained from carrying out even their routine work for livelihood. Maharashtra has 35 sanctuaries, six national parks and three tiger projects, involving an area of more than 15,000 sq-mt . There are 22 Great Indian Bustards in the Solapur-Ahmadnagar sanctuary.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Central_panel_to_decide_on_pruning_

bustard_sanctuary_/articleshow/3469571.cms

The Great Indian Bustard's sanctuary in Maharashtra may shrink to just 4% of its present size if the state government has its way. The Great Indian Bustard, also called Maldhok, is an endangered species. The government, it is learnt, will soon file an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating it has no objection to reducing the area under the Maldhok (bustard) bird sanctuary in Solapur from 8496.44 sq km to just 395 sq km to revive stone quarries in the region. At a meeting in Mantralaya last week, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh ordered forest department officials to file the affidavit before August 15, a department official said. Forest minister Babanrao Pachpute confirmed the state government has decided to file the affidavit. "I am going to New Delhi on Thursday in this regard," he said. The government's decision comes after an expert committee it constituted submitted a report stating there was no need for the sanctuary at all, officials in the forest department said. The report also says that there are only 25 birds of the Maldhok species in the sanctuary, officials said on condition of anonymity. There are several stone mines inside the sanctuary which were closed down on the apex court's order on July 12, 2006 after a bird lover, M Bajpai, filed a petition claiming that stone quarrying was ca using problems to the birds. The mining lobby had since been putting pressure on the government to find a way to revive the quarries. Last year, the state government filed a petition in the apex court, seeking to revise the boundaries of the sanctuary excluding the area where the mines were located. The Supreme Court then asked the government to appoint an expert committee to study the proposal's feasibility. The committee report, submitted recently, came as a big relief to mine owners. Narsayya Adam, Congress MLA from Solapur who led the mine owners' campaign, told DNA: "More than one lakh workers had lost employment after the mines were closed down. We have to buy stones at higher prices from neighbouring Pune district." "There is a railway track at Nanaj near the bird sanctuary -- the mines are located just 20km from the tracks. The Solapur collector has submitted a report to the state government that neither the tracks nor the stone mines create noise pollution. In fact, the district administration had submitted a report recommending exclusion of the area under the stone mines from the sanctuary in 1995," Adam said. Bird expert Adesh Shivkar has backed the government's decision. "It is unrealistic to reserve 8,000 sq km for a bird which is isolated in only 300 sq km of the sanctuary. Moreover, Maldhok cannot be protected by hurting the local residents' sentiments and at their employment."

He, however, said the report that only 25 Maldhoks remained in the sanctuary was misleading. "The bird is also found in Sironcha and Pune. Awareness is more important to save the bird than the space," he said. "The very prime and best habitat of the birds should be conserved at all costs," said naturalist Sunjoy Monga. "A lot of the area includes villages and even a township, which may be the reason for the government's decision," he added. The sanctuary: The sanctuary is located around 400 km from Mumbai and is spread over Uttar Solapur, Mohol, Madha, Karmala, Shrigonda, Karjat and Nevasa tehsils of Solapur and Ahmednagar districts. It is a popular destination for bird watchers, especially those interested in the Great Indian Bustard. Mongooses, squirrels and deer are also found in the area.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_maldhok-home-to-shrink-by-96pct_1181968

Great Indian Bustard found in Bellary pocket

The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), a majestic bird on the verge of extinction, has been rediscovered in Sirguppa in Karnataka — and they are breeding, too. Sirguppa taluk, situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra in Bellary district, is among the few pockets in the country where the bird survives. There are fewer than 500 of the birds in India today, about 400 of them in the Desert National Park in Rajasthan. A small number is found in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The new specimens were found during an expedition undertaken on Wednesday by naturalist Santosh Martin, president of Sloth Bear Foundation, and Abdul Samad, president of the Society for Wildlife and Nature (SWAN), Hospet, along with mine owner Dinesh Singhi and surgeon S.K. Arun, both wildlife enthusiasts. Mr. Martin said: “We could see a female GIB with an eight-month-old juvenile feeding in a barren field near Sirguppa. Both the mother and the baby looked healthy and were feeding quite well on locusts and lizards. This is the first time we could see a juvenile along with an adult from a short distance and photograph them.” The GIB was discovered in Sirguppa in April 2006 by these naturalists after expeditions undertaken over a period of three years. The arid and semi-arid grasslands in the interior of Sirguppa taluk are most suited for the bird. Samad Kottur had found a large egg in the field near the Ravihal-Hatcholli area of the taluk during an expedition in December 2007. Gadag, Mundargi and Ranebennur are also GIB habitats. However, the birds have not been sighted in the recent past here.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/25/stories/2008072553502200.htm

India Court allows Reliance to build pipeline in bird sanctuary

Reliance Industries Ltd. secured approval from India's top court to build part of a pipeline from the nation's biggest gas field through a bird sanctuary. The Supreme Court in New Delhi asked Reliance to deposit 5 percent of the cost of laying the underground pipeline through the sanctuary in a special fund for replanting trees, according to an order passed yesterday by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and judges Arijit Pasayat and H.S. Kapadia. Reliance, India's most valuable company, will spend 115 billion rupees ($2.9 billion) building the 940-kilometer (585- mile) long pipeline connecting Kakinada on the east coast with pipelines in the west. This includes an 84-kilometer stretch through a nature reserve in Maharashtra at an estimated cost of 5.2 billion rupees. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani is developing the natural gas field in the Krishna Godavari basin, which is projected to double the nation's supply of the fuel with a peak output of 80 million cubic meters a day. Production is expected to start in the second half of the year ending March 31, 2009. The fund will be used to grow more trees and educate people about the Great Indian Bustard, an endangered bird that inhabits the area in Maharashtra state.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=afeIDn3G2xLQ&refer=india

Burning too bright

Recently, the Prime Minister convened a meeting of the National Board of Wildlife, the apex body which reviews all government policy for endangered fauna. Critical issues were to be discussed: a dam, which will wipe out the last habitat of the snow leopard, species that are on the verge of extinction and marine species that are being exploited for illegal trade. But the only item of interest for most reporters covering the meeting was: what did the Prime Minister say about the fate of the tiger? The next day’s headlines screamed, “Tiger population down by half!” Never mind that this news had already been reported six months ago. Never mind that a crucial decision was taken at this meeting on diversion of a forest to a hydel project in Jammu and Kashmir. The Supreme Court, this month, will rule on the cutting down of 50,000 trees in Kalahandi, an elephant corridor, home to the golden gecko and the leopard to make way for a bauxite mining project. Not one television channel or newspaper bothered to cover these issues. It was all about tigers. The Indian media are obsessed with numbers. Worse still, the obsession is restricted to the numbers of only one species, the tiger. For better or for worse, the tiger has become the poster child for conservation in India. If you are reporting on wildlife, it has to be about tigers. The good news is that this is a huge leap from a media that did not even consider it worthwhile to report on  wildlife issues except on page 3. The tiger obsession started in 2005, with the wiping out of an entire population of tigers in Sariska. And since then, the media have kept up the pressure, which, of course, is a good thing. But the bad news is that the mindset has become rigidly established. If its news on wildlife then it has to be about the tiger. The inevitable banality sets in. Whenever there is a workshop on tigers in the capital, the newspapers have screaming headlines the next day about the  tiger population declining. Anytime a tiger dies,  even of natural causes, television channels go berserk. Since June 2007, when the Ministry of Environment and Forests first released a report on the number of tigers, newspapers and TV channels have flashed the same story at least 15 times. And each time it has been pitched as a new report on the tiger’s numbers. And the banal seems to keep everyone happy. There’s no attempt to run in-depth reports. Why are the tiger numbers shrinking? What’s happening to its habitat? Why is it that some parks in the country have no breeding tigers? Why is the annual budget for tiger conservation in the country only Rs 28 crore? Compare that with the annual budget of say, the horticultural wing of the NDMC, which is Rs 100 crore. And you have some idea of just where the problems lie. A second problem is that the focus on tiger numbers is at the cost of reporting on any other wild species. Take the Indian gharial. In international taxonomic listings it has now reached the Critically Endangered list. Its populations have fallen so drastically that it is as, or probably even more, endangered than the tiger. In Chhattisgarh, less than 200 wild buffaloes exist, putting the species on a worldwide endangered list. Few even know that India has cat family species other than the tiger and the leopard, such as the rusty spotted cat, the marbled cat or the fishing cat. The Indian bustard is now limited to less than 1,000 in number and confined to small pockets in Rajasthan and Maharashtra. No editor has ever come forward to save these species.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/platform/Burning-too-bright/Article1-257448.aspx

Concern over dwindling number of Great Indian Bustard

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/23/stories/2007092358210200.htm

BNHS pitches for 'Project Bustards'

Here’s a ray of hope for the endangered Great Indian Bustard. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai, and state government are keen to start ‘Project Bustards’ on the lines of Project Tiger and Project Elephant. B Majumdar, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), wildlife, Maharashtra, on Tuesday said 'Project Bustards' is the brainchild of Asad Rahmani, director, BNHS. "We will make all efforts to make it workable," he said. "The great Indian bustards (GIBs) are disappearing because grasslands aredepleting," Majumdar remarked. When contacted, Y L P Rao, conservator of forests (CF), Pune, said a plan is being prepared to push for Project Bustards. "It’ll take another two-three months to complete the documentation and research work on GIBs," he said. The plan will be submitted to PCCF, wildlife, before being forwarded to the ministry of environment and forests. Talking to TOI from Mumbai, Rahmani, who has renewed efforts for ‘Project Bustards’ since 2006, said: "We have submitted the proposal to the ministry of environment and forests. It was also endorsed by the committee for the 11th Five Year Plan. Many chief wildlife wardens have also written to the government of India to do something to save bustards and grasslands. However, the government is only interested in tiger and forests." Rahmani also called for constitution of a task force for GIBs. "As the GIBs live in agriculturally marginal areas which are not easy to manage, greater administrative, community and scientific inputs are needed to keep the habitat suitable," he said. The BNHS director said this can be done by people’s participation, providing secure tenure to local pastoral populations combined with responsibilities for conservation. Bustards have become extinct from four sanctuaries —Sorson in Rajasthan, Karera in Madhya Pradesh, Rannibennur in Karnataka and Bhatiya in Gujarat. Maharashtra has around 50-60 GIBs, the second highest after Rajasthan which has around 100 endangered birds. "By conserving bustards, a large number of Indian grassland species will also be protected. Their protection will also benefit the local communities," Rahmani said. Already, there is an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) resolution warning that if steps are not taken, four GIB species will become extinct in 5-10 years.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/BNHS_pitches_for_Project_Bustards/articleshow/2263916.cms

26 Jul, 2007

Indian Bustard census on July 29

A statewide census of the endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) will be held on July 29. When contacted, B Majumdar, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Maharashtra, reiterated that as GIBs are scattered across agricultural fields, it will be a survey of sorts here while a full-fledged census will be conducted in bustard sanctuary at Nannaj in Solapur district. “I’ve written to all chief conservators of forests (CCFs) in the state on the issue and directed them to do the needful,” said Majumdar on Wednesday. It will be held in coordination with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and NGOs, he added. S W H Naqvi, CCF (Territorial), on Wednesday called a meeting of forest officials to discuss the census modalities. The meeting was attended by two divisional forest officials (DFOs), range forest officials (RFOs) and district wildlife warden Gopal Thosar, who is going to provide technical support for conducting the census. “We discussed the census strategy. A meeting of villagers and forest officials will be held on July 28 to finalise the programme. Separate teams will be set up and posted in pockets like Umrer, Asoli, Bhiwapur in Nagpur district, villages in Warora tehsil in Chandrapur district and Pulgaon and Hinganghat in Wardha district,” informed Naqvi. In fact, Naqvi said, “We did a survey on July 17 and sighted one GIB in Asoli in Umrer tehsil.” Expressing joy over the PCCF’s decision, bird expert Thosar said: “It took 22 years to know about the existence of this majestic bird. I sighted the first GIB in Vidarbha in 1985 and since then I’ve been working to see that the species survive. We have supplied maps of potential areas to the forest department.” The GIB census should be held every year on the lines of tiger, he opined. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/Indian_Bustard_census_on_July_29/articleshow/2234628.cms

Captive breeding of Great Indian Bustard sought

The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has sought permission of the Central Government for captive breeding of the Great Indian Bustard, a highly endangered bird species found in selected grassland patches along north-western and peninsular India. The petition has the backing of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) which has suggested that this rare species be conserved on the lines of `Project Tiger'. These birds are estimated to be less than 400 all over the world. Officials said the Centre is studying the proposal carefully as the bird is included in Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is adopting a cautious approach because captive breeding of the bird involves addressing socio-political issues that rest on land-use pattern. The Government has to ensure grasslands for its breeding and dry land crops next to them for feeding. The species feeds mainly on millets and groundnut. Moreover, the bird cannot be completely held captive as it has to migrate and return for breeding. It lays eggs only twice a year, said K. Thulsi Rao, Head, Biodiversity Research Centre of Forest, Srisailam. Mr. Rao also said the research centre was trying to patent the technology that it had developed with indigenous means to capture the black buck. The animal had damaged hundreds of acres of crop in ten mandals near Rollapadu. As the American and African models to capture the animal were expensive, the centre had developed a simple technology to catch it with the help of a net based on its behaviour. The operation, the biggest in India, witnessed the capture of 3,200 black bucks and their release later in the Nagarjunasagar forest in the last one-and-a-half years.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/10/stories/2007021007400400.htm

Conservation on mind, foundation plans Great Indian Bustard survey

A status survey of the Great Indian bustard, the critically endangered specie of the Indian subcontinent, is being planned by the Gujarat Ecological and Environment (GEER) foundation with a view to formulating conservation strategy. The objective of the study is to estimate the population and distribution of this bird in Gujarat, to quantify the habitat use in different seasons and to document its status based on systematic and scientific information, said Dr Bharat Jethwa, senior scientist of GEER who is incharge of this project. ‘‘The idea is to understand the critical issues for its conservation so that we can formulate any long-term conservation strategy,’’ he added. Jethwa said the study is expected to come out with a set of systematic and scientific baseline information on the population, distribution, status and habitat requirement of this bird which is the most critically endangered grassland bird species of our country. ‘‘Conservationists believe that this bird is now on the brink of extinction in India. It has totally disappeared from two local sanctuaries made especially for its protection,’’ Jethwa said adding it was also declining rapidly in a few other sanctuaries. Historically, the great Indian bustard occupied a large area in the Indian subcontinent ranging from central Punjab in the far North to central Tamil Nadu in the far South and from Western Orissa in the East and Eastern borderlands of Pakistan. It was always found in the grassy plains, sometimes highly overgrazed by livestock or wild herbivores. But these birds avoid hilly areas and forest regions. It shares its short grass plains with blackbucks, chinkara, bluebulls, wolves and foxes. Now, it is only confined to a few pockets in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. ‘‘This species was very common on the huge Kathiawar pensinsula. At one time, virtually no grassland in Kathiawar was without a population of these birds. One could find droves of 30 to 40 of them in suitable habitats most of the year,’’ added Jethwa. However, the number of these birds started declining since the mid 1990s. Earlier, it was mainly poaching and habitat destruction that resulted in the drastic decline but now mismanagement of the habitat, sentimental protection of certain problem animals and apathy would also possibly lead to extermination of this specie from India. Hence, urgent conservation steps are needed to prevent their extinction, added Jethwa. The methodology of the status survey would involve estimation of the population of the gib once in each season. A team of volunteers will be used for covering the entire area for population monitoring in each season. Regular field visits would be done for mapping the distribution of the gib. During each field visits, the information on the sightings and their gps cordinates will be recorded along with the information on all habitat variables, he added. The quantification of the habitat would be done using satellite images. The satellite imageries of the recent years procured by GEER foundation will be analysed and the land classes will be identified, added Jethwa.

Source: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=173791

Great Indian Bustard - on the decline, or on the rise?  

Confusion reigns over the true state of the population of the globally threatened Great Indian Bustard, following claims made by the Rajasthan State Forest Department. Known locally as the 'Godavan', the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (classified as Endangered) seems to be sliding inextricably towards extinction. The last three census reports indicate that the species is continuing to decline at an alarming rate in its Rajasthan stronghold - 131 were recorded in 2001, 97 in 2002, and just 85 in 2003. The Forest Department, however, claims otherwise. Chief Wildlife Warden Arun Sen said that the last two years' censuses, as released to the press, were incomplete. The 2002 census report apparently missed out 52 bustards at Sonkhaliya in Ajmer district, while the 2003 census did not include the birds in this area at all. "There is no decline in the number of bustards", he asserted. (The 2003 census report released to the press had mentioned the bustards population in Ajmer as nil.) Wildlife organisations and experts refute the Forest Department's claims, saying that the Great Indian Bustard is fast disappearing in Rajasthan - where it is ironically the State bird - due to poaching, habitat destruction and lack of conservation effort. "All over the Thar, there is more than a 50 percent decline in the number of bustards." - Asad Rahmani, Director, BNHS. Director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS, BirdLife in India) Asad Rahmani said, "In 1986, I saw 30 Bustards at Sonkhaliya, but in 2002, only eight. I know many ornithologists who returned from Sonkhaliya without sighting a single bustard. This was not the case till 1990." The BNHS director, who conducts environmental education campaigns in bustard areas, has been surveying the Thar Desert every year since 1982. He finds it "more and more difficult" to find bustards - even with better vehicles and more people. "All over the Thar, there is more than a 50 percent decline in the number of bustards," he said. Currently, the Rajasthan Government have no plans whatsoever to save their State bird from extinction. This has led experts to suggest that the species' best hope is for the Indian Government to set up a Project Bustard, along the lines of Project Tiger and Project Elephant.

Source: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=7739

Great Indian Bustard thrives in Kutch sanctuary

There is good news for wildlife lovers. The Great Indian Bustard (GIB), a majestic bird facing extinction, is doing well in the Lala-Parjau sanctuary, near Jakhau, in western Kutch. About 30 birds have been counted in the first census, which far exceeds expectations. More heartening is the sighting of chicks, which means the bird is actually breeding in the area. Locally called ‘ghorad', the GIB is a big, shy bird, resembling the ostrich. Though a good flier, it prefers to walk. It loves open spaces; it even roosts and breeds in the open. Therefore, the Kutch grasslands, where the sanctuary is located, provide an ideal habitat. The Bombay Natural History Society, which has conducted extensive studies on the three Indian bustard species - namely the GIB, the Lesser Florican and the Bengal Florican - has estimated that the total population of the GIB in all 12 sanctuaries in the country is only about 1,000. The biggest of these sanctuaries is the Desert National Park in Rajasthan which has about 100 birds. The Kutch sanctuary is one of the two GIB sanctuaries in Gujarat - the other is in Jamnagar - which were notified in July 1992. The census was conducted on September 25 and 26 under the supervision of G.V. Vadi, Deputy Conservator of Forests, and the figures haven't been officially released. But the enthusiasm among Forest and Wildlife officers says it all. "Clearly, the bird is doing well here, and the sanctuary needs to be enlarged," said an officer. Spread over only 202 hectares, the Kutch GIB sanctuary is the smallest in the country. For a big bird like the bustard, it is simply inadequate. In fact, birds have often been seen outside the sanctuary area, the officer said. Vadi says his department has already approached the National Committee on Rationalisation of Boundaries of the Protected Areas for extending the sanctuary up to its natural or ecological border. The sanctuary is just one of the several grassland patches in a single ecological zone having an area of 500 sq. km. In the monsoon, large herds of cattle graze there. Vadi has, therefore, proposed a ban on grazing during the breeding season of GIB "in the core zones". District Wildlife Warden Raysinhji Rathod and his predecessor Navin Bapat, both of whom participated in the census, explain that a hen generally lays one egg, and rarely two, on the bare ground. If cattle were allowed inside, the eggs would be trampled upon, or would be damaged in the harsh sunlight when the birds move off on spotting herdsmen. Even the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India and other wildlife organisations have called for enlargement of the sanctuary. H.S. Singh, Director, GEER, after a visit on July 27 last year, sent a note to the Forest Department, saying the area is "too small" and the adjoining grasslands should also be protected for the GIB habitat. Scientist at Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India Y.V. Jhala, who also visited the sanctuary in July, wrote to the State's Chief Wildlife Warden S.A. Patel, saying the sanctuary "probably harbours the single largest population of GIB in Gujarat" and the presence of chicks showed that the bird actually bred in the area. Like Singh, Jhala also argued for including more of the adjacent grassland eco-systems in the protected area. Since most of the area was under the State Government ownership, there would be minimal conflicts with development and agricultural interests in transferring the land to the Forest Department, he said.

Source: http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19991108/ige08015.html