India has moved into a new phase of its Great Indian Bustard (GIB) conservation programme with two captive-bred male birds released into the wild at Sam in the Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on October 4.
Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav released the two birds in the presence of Rajasthan’s Forest and Environment Minister Sanjay Sharma and senior officials and scientists associated with the conservation programme.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards released into the wild as part of India’s rewilding programme.
Location: Sam, Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Authority/Organisation: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Rajasthan Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India.
Action Taken: Two captive-bred GIBs were released into their natural habitat after years of conservation breeding and preparation.
Impact: The release begins a new phase of India’s GIB recovery programme and will provide scientific information for future reintroduction efforts.
The release represents an important shift in the government-backed Great Indian Bustard recovery effort. After years of focusing on building a viable conservation-breeding population, the programme has now entered the rewilding stage, with captive-bred birds being returned to their natural habitat.
The Great Indian Bustard is one of India’s most threatened bird species and is closely associated with the grassland ecosystem of the Thar region. The species has faced severe pressure from habitat degradation, disturbance and other threats, making the development of a viable conservation-breeding population an important part of its recovery strategy.
The captive-breeding programme in Rajasthan began with the collection and artificial incubation of wild-laid eggs. Since 2019, chicks have been hand-reared at specialised conservation breeding facilities at Sam and Ramdevra in Jaisalmer. Over time, some of the captive-bred birds have also reproduced, helping create a population that can support future rewilding efforts.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The Great Indian Bustard is an important indicator of the health of India’s grassland ecosystems. Its decline is therefore not only a wildlife conservation concern but also an ecological issue involving the protection of the wider Thar landscape. The significance of the latest development lies in the move from simply maintaining birds in captivity to attempting to restore them to the wild. Successful rewilding could eventually help strengthen the wild population, but the process will require continued scientific monitoring, suitable habitat and protection from threats. The first releases will also help scientists understand how captive-bred birds behave after entering natural habitat and what additional measures may be required before larger-scale releases are attempted.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the conservation breeding facilities at Sam and Ramdevra had 97 birds as of the latest programme update, including birds originating from wild-laid eggs as well as those bred in captivity. Of these, 86 were being maintained for captive reproduction, while 11 had been earmarked for release into the wild.
The breeding programme produced 24 live chicks during 2025 and another 29 during 2026, demonstrating progress in building the captive population needed for long-term recovery.
The first release is being treated as a carefully controlled scientific exercise. The birds have undergone preparation intended to help them adapt to conditions outside captivity, while monitoring after release will provide conservation scientists with information about their movement, behaviour, habitat use and ability to adapt to the natural environment.
The government has said that the experience gained from the first release will be used to progressively refine protocols for subsequent releases.
A large rewilding aviary has also been developed at Ramdevra to prepare captive-bred birds for eventual release. The facility measures 160 metres by 64 metres by 14 metres and provides a large, unobstructed flight space where birds can develop flight muscles and display more natural behaviour before being released.
The wider Bustard Recovery Programme is being implemented collaboratively by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Rajasthan Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India, with technical collaboration from the International Fund for Houbara Conservation and funding support from National CAMPA.
The conservation programme also includes habitat restoration and threat mitigation. Around 200 square kilometres of fenced grassland enclosures have been established inside the Desert National Park, which have been identified as important breeding habitats for the species based on long-term scientific studies.
The release of the two birds does not mean that the recovery challenge has been completed. Instead, it begins a new and closely monitored phase in which scientists will assess whether captive-bred birds can successfully establish themselves in suitable natural habitats.
The results of this first release are therefore expected to play an important role in deciding how India's Great Indian Bustard reintroduction programme develops in the coming years.
