The endemic great Indian bustard (GIB) is about to be extinct. It is one of the most magnificent grassland bird. Its can reach more than three feet in height. And only 300-odd birds remain in the wild today. If you visualise, they are just as many as the pigeons feeding on grains near a temple. In the ’60s, they were found in 11 states of our country but now they are restricted to only six states, of which Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have single digit population. In three states – Gujrat, Maharstara and Andhra Pradesh, the figure is between 25 and 35, each. Only Rajasthan has the largest population of GIBs – about 150 to 170. Experts are saying it is extinct from almost 90 per cent of its former range. If a tiger is perceived as the soul of Indian forest, GIB is the soul of the grassland. But grassland can easily be converted into agricultural lands and, therefore, GIBs are under bigger threat.

With this vulnerable habitat and extremely low number of species surviving, are there any possibilities of saving this species? The answer to this question is difficult because we do not have enough data to understand its ecology, biology and behaviour. And now, the number of species is so low that we do not have the courage to lose even a single bird for the study. Radio telemetry, for instance, can disclose many hidden aspects related to the range of bird migration. We do not know yet how many of these GIBs, which are strong flyers, go towards unsafe desert of Pakistan and get killed by hunters; or how many fly to the safe haven of Kutchh area of Gujarat. Conservation strategy could be made only when we have these data. The flipside is, GIBs would have to be tranquillised for fixing the radio transmitter, which at times can be risky for the bird.

Similarly, captive breeding experiments are important, as they might be the last hope to recover the depleting species. It is important to conduct this exercise soon or else we will not have enough individuals. In the West Asia, the Houbara bustard has been propagated through captive breeding: They are actually hunting them down but at least they have enough birds. As per the records, they released some 45,000 birds till date. With both programmes it may be possible that we may initially lose some birds but that is the risk our scientists have to take in order to develop a recovery plan.

GIBs face dual threat: From hunting and from habitat degradation. For instance, in Rajasthan, the bird population has to face development of irrigation facilities and habitat modification. Some experts say that after the Indira Gandhi Canal, the birds’ situation is jeopardised.

According to bustard expert Pramod Patil, the recent studies on GIBs reveal that habitat protection and development of core areas for bustard breeding in a large multiple-use area could help in increasing bustard population. As bustards live in marginal agriculture areas, support from the local people is absolutely necessary for any long-term conservation planning.

Asad R Rehmani, director of BNHS, recommends initiating Project Bustard. Project Tiger have shown that by identifying an indicator species and focusing attention on it and its habitat, a substantial part of our natural ecosystems, which benefit an array of threatened species, can be protected. Bustard species can be considered as indicators of grassland ecosystems and conserving the bustards and their habitats, other large number of species dependent on healthy grasslands will also be protected.

We have only a few years to experiment for survival of this threatened bird from extinction. After a few years, community awareness, political will and research will be useless.

(The writer is a conservation biologist at Tiger Watch, Ranthambore)