Two captive-bred Great Indian Bustards released into wild in Rajasthan

Environment and Forest and Climate Minister Bhupender Yadav and forest officials release two male Great Indian Bustards at the Desert National Park, in Sam. Photo Courtesy: PTI

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday released two male Great Indian Bustards into the wild at the Desert National Park in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, marking a significant first step in rewilding the captive-bred birds.

In a post on X, Yadav said the milestone was the outcome of nearly a decade of unwavering dedication by our scientists, researchers, and ground staff to help the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered bird, reclaim the deserts of Rajasthan.

The released birds were raised at facilities in Jaisalmer's Sam and Ramdevra.

He added, "I thank PM Shri @narendramodi ji for his continued guidance, encouragement and constant support in ensuring our scientific community can work for the conservation of all our species, including the Great Indian Bustard."

The conservation programme is a collaborative initiative of the Union Environment Ministry, the Rajasthan Forest Department, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Currently, the Great Indian Bustard facilities in Sam and Ramdevra house 97 birds, 40 of which originated from wild-laid eggs, and 57 have been bred in captivity.

Of these, 86 birds are being maintained for captive reproduction, while 11 have been earmarked for release into the wild.

Captive reproduction resulted in 24 live chicks in 2025 and 29 in 2026.

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