Great Indian Bustard Chicks Begin Rewilding Journey in Jaisalmer Tunnel

Three chicks of the endangered Great Indian Bustard have been moved into a custom-built rewilding tunnel at the Godawan Conservation Centre in Ramdevra, Jaisalmer. The facility, built at a cost of ₹9.25 crore, is designed to prepare captive-bred birds for life in the wild by minimising human contact and replicating their natural habitat.

The Great Indian Bustard, locally known as Godawan, is the state bird of Rajasthan and is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species faces threats from habitat loss, hunting, and collisions with power lines, with fewer than 150 individuals estimated to remain in the wild.

The chicks will remain inside the tunnel for about four months under CCTV surveillance. Food will be provided without direct human contact, allowing the birds to gradually develop survival instincts such as foraging, movement in open terrain, and adapting to desert ecology. This process, known as rewilding, aims to ensure the birds can fend for themselves when released.

“The focus is now on preparing these birds for life in the wild so that they can be safely rehabilitated in their natural habitat,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests Ashok Singh. Forest officials described the development as a “historic milestone” in the conservation programme.

Following the rewilding phase, the chicks will be released into the Desert National Park, a protected area that offers suitable habitat for the species. The success of this initiative could pave the way for large-scale reintroduction of captive-bred birds into the wild, bringing the long-standing goal of restoring Rajasthan’s Great Indian Bustard population closer to realisation.

The conservation programme, led by the Rajasthan Forest Department and supported by the Wildlife Institute of India, has been running for several years. The rewilding tunnel is the latest step in efforts to boost the population of this iconic bird. Experts caution that while the initiative is promising, long-term survival will also require addressing threats from infrastructure development and habitat degradation.