New Delhi, June 14 (IANS). The conservation campaign of India’s rare bird Great Indian Bustard (GIB), which is on the verge of extinction, has got another major success. Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav informed on Sunday that in the last few days, three new chicks have been born under the Conservation Breeding Programme.
Sharing details of the achievement on ‘X’, the Union Minister said that out of the three newly born chicks, one was hatched from eggs collected from the wild area, while two chicks were born from eggs laid in captivity.
With the birth of these new chicks, the total number of chicks born so far in the fourth year of the project has increased to 26. The total number of Great Indian Bustard birds present in the conservation center has increased to 94. According to officials, more chicks are expected to be born this season.
Bhupendra Yadav said that out of 26 chicks born this year, 18 were born through artificial insemination, 4 through natural breeding and 4 through eggs collected from wild areas.
He said that instead of collecting eggs from forest areas, three chicks have been successfully born in the forest through special ‘Jumpstart Intervention’ technique in Rajasthan. The purpose of this process is to increase the genetic diversity of the birds and reduce the threat from poachers.
In March this year, the project entered its fourth year with the birth of two new chicks at the Conservation Breeding Center in Rajasthan. Of these, one chick was born through natural breeding and the other through artificial insemination.
Congratulating the officers and entire team of Rajasthan Forest Department for this achievement, the Union Minister described it as an important achievement of the Great Indian Bustard Conservation Campaign.
–IANS
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