Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav releases two Great Indian Bustards into the wild in Jaisalmer
Babushahi Bureau/PIB
Jaisalmer (Rajasthan), October 4, 2026: Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday released two male Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) into the wild at Sam in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park, marking a significant step in India’s efforts to restore the critically endangered species in its natural habitat.
Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister Sanjay Sharma and senior officials from the Centre and state government were present during the release.
Yadav described the development as the result of nearly a decade of work by scientists, researchers and ground staff involved in the GIB conservation programme.
The release marks a shift in the conservation programme from building a viable captive-breeding population to gradually reintroducing the birds into their natural habitat. Officials said lessons from the first release would be used to improve protocols for future releases.
The Great Indian Bustard recovery programme is being implemented jointly by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Rajasthan Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), with technical support from the International Fund for Houbara Conservation and funding from the National CAMPA.
The programme combines conservation breeding with habitat restoration, threat mitigation, habitat management and community participation.
According to the ministry, the GIB conservation-breeding facilities at Sam and Ramdevra currently house 97 birds. Of these, 40 originated from eggs collected from the wild and 57 were bred in captivity.
While 86 birds are being maintained for captive reproduction, 11 have been identified for release into the wild. The two birds released on Sunday were among those selected for reintroduction.
The captive-breeding programme produced 24 live chicks in 2025 and 29 in 2026, according to the ministry.
Scientists have also experimented with a ‘jumpstart’ conservation approach, in which captive-laid eggs were placed in wild nests for incubation by wild females. The method resulted in six chicks hatching in Rajasthan and two in Gujarat.
Habitat restoration is another key component of the programme. The Rajasthan Forest Department has established around 200 square kilometres of fenced grassland enclosures within the Desert National Park. Long-term telemetry studies conducted by WII have identified these areas as important breeding habitats for the species.
The conservation measures are also being implemented in accordance with the Supreme Court of India’s directions based on recommendations of an expert committee constituted to examine the protection of the Great Indian Bustard.
In a post on X, Yadav credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance and support for helping scientists and conservation teams advance efforts to protect the species.