Latest news with #BrijmohanGupta
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
New strategy to allow GIBs to hatch and grow in the wild
Wildlife officials in Rajasthan have launched a new strategy to allow the Great Indian Bustard (Godawan) to hatch and grow in the wild, moving away from the practice of captive breeding at the Desert National Park (DNP) centre. The GIB population has plummeted to fewer than 200 individuals in the wild, primarily concentrated in Rajasthan's Desert National Park and parts of Gujarat. (HT PHOTO) The aim is to preserve the bird's natural behaviour and increase its chances of survival in its native habitat. Previously, Godawan eggs were routinely collected from enclosures and incubated at the breeding centre, with chicks raised in captivity. According to the new approach, eggs laid in the wild are now temporarily collected for protection, then returned to their original nests shortly before hatching. The initiative has been taken following the Wildlife Institute of India's recommendation, which has allowed to use five eggs annually for the purpose. Brijmohan Gupta, deputy conservator at Divisional Forest Office (DFO), DNP confirmed the development. According to the officials, as part of this delicate process, when a Godawan lays an egg in the open desert, wildlife teams discreetly replace it with a gypsum-made dummy egg—identical in weight and appearance. The real egg is transported to the breeding centre, where it is incubated under controlled conditions to protect it from predators and environmental threats. Once the egg nears the hatching stage, it is carefully returned to the same wild nest, and the dummy egg is removed. This allows the chick to hatch in its natural surroundings and be raised by its mother—never entering captivity. This time-sensitive approach ensures the mother bird continues to incubate the nest without disruption. Since the dummy egg maintains the illusion of an undisturbed nest, the bird remains unaware of the switch. Upon return of the real egg, the natural rearing process resumes seamlessly, one of the officials quoted above said. The DNP team, in collaboration with scientists at the breeding centre, initiated this new protocol with two eggs collected from the Ramdevra region. Both are currently undergoing incubation. Once ready, the eggs will be reintroduced to their natural nests to allow hatching in the wild. Officials said that earlier attempts to hatch and rear chicks solely in captivity often disrupted natural behavioural patterns. In many cases, mother birds distanced themselves from males after realising the egg was missing or damaged. The new method seeks to maintain continuity in nesting behaviour and avoid distress to the female. 'This is a sensitive and science-backed intervention. By temporarily securing the eggs and placing dummies in the field, we are protecting the offspring without altering the mother's natural instincts,' said Gupta. Meanwhile experts highlight that this method offers the safety of controlled incubation while preserving the vital instincts associated with wild upbringing. It represents a major evolution in Godawan conservation, blending scientific care with ecological sensitivity. Standing about a meter tall and weighing between 8-15 kg, the Great Indian Bustard is Rajasthan's state bird and one of the heaviest flying birds globally. The species once roamed widely across the Indian subcontinent's grasslands but today, the Ardeotis nigriceps population has plummeted to fewer than 200 individuals in the wild, primarily concentrated in Rajasthan's Desert National Park and parts of Gujarat, with smaller isolated populations struggling in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Forest dept starts egg replacement pilot to boost GIB conservation
Jaisalmer: In a bid to conserve the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), locally known as Godawan, scientists in Jaisalmer have launched a pilot egg replacement experiment. Conducted by the forest department at Desert National Park, the project involves replacing wild eggs with dummy ones and relocating the real eggs for artificial incubation. Two eggs were initially collected from nests in the Desert National Park and incubated at the conservation centre in Ramdevra. They were returned to their original nests one to two days before hatching, allowing the chicks to emerge and be raised under natural conditions by their mothers. Officials said this method aims to improve survival rates without disturbing the birds' maternal instincts. District forest officer Brijmohan Gupta said the initiative serves three key scientific objectives- protecting eggs from natural predators like jackals and dogs, ensuring successful hatching under controlled conditions, and promoting genetic exchange between GIB populations in Jaisalmer and Pokhran, whose intermingling has declined. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo The egg replacement process is carried out by a trained team to ensure the female bird continues to incubate the dummy egg without abandoning the nest. Once the real eggs are incubated in a secure, temperature-controlled environment, they are carefully returned just before hatching. Although commonly used in international conservation efforts, this technique is being implemented for the first time in Rajasthan. The forest department is monitoring the results closely, with plans to expand the project if it proves effective. With only a few GIBs left in the wild, this pilot project marks a hopeful step towards reviving the species' population. The department aims to scale up the initiative in the coming years to ensure more successful hatchings and reintroductions into the bird's natural habitat.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
After Op Sindoor, 9 GIB chicks back at Ramdevra centre from Ajmer
1 2 Jaisalmer: One month after nine GIB chicks were moved from the Wildlife Institute of India's Ramdevra GIB Breeding Center in Pokhran to the Arwar center in Ajmer to prevent them from harm on account of shelling and loud explosions during Operation Sindoor , the bustard chicks have been repatriated to the Jaisalmer breeding centre. Desert National Park's DFO, Brijmohan Gupta, said that the chicks are only between 30 and 50 days old and are highly sensitive to loud noises. The chicks returned to Jaisalmer in specially designed vehicles. TNN
News18
08-06-2025
- General
- News18
Sindoor, Sophia: Rajasthan Names Great Indian Bustard Chicks After Milestones, Officers Of Operation
Last Updated: "By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park The border state of Rajasthan is finding a unique way to honour the armed forces after Operation Sindoor – naming rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. 'By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with the story of national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park. This year alone, 21 chicks have hatched under the Project GIB initiative, including seven in May and the latest one on June 1. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 by Indian military to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Subsequently, India responded strongly to Pakistan's attempts to target its military and civilian areas with drones, missiles and other weapons. THE NAMES The naming began with a chick born on May 5 being called ' Sindoor ' after the military operation. Others followed: 'Atom' (May 9) signifies the mission's strategic power; 'Mishri' (May 19) honours an undercover cyber intelligence officer; 'Vyom' (May 23) is named after Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and 'Sophia' (May 24) is dedicated to Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the two officers led the official media briefing of the operation. 'It's not just about saving a bird, it's about preserving the values that define us as a nation," Gupta added. THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD The Great Indian Bustard has been pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and infrastructural threats like power lines. Presently, fewer than 150 remain in the wild, most of them in Rajasthan. To counter this crisis, Project GIB was launched in 2018 as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the Rajasthan Forest Department. The breeding centres at Sudasari and Sam are equipped with AI-enabled surveillance, temperature-controlled incubators, and sensor-based monitoring systems. This advanced infrastructure ensures real-time tracking of egg conditions and chick health. Till date, the centres have successfully hatched and nurtured 65 chicks. The newly born chicks are being gradually trained in semi-natural enclosures to help them adapt to wild conditions. The eventual goal is their reintroduction into open desert landscapes, where their survival and breeding in the wild will mark a turning point in India's conservation journey. With PTI Inputs First Published: June 08, 2025, 12:44 IST
News18
08-06-2025
- General
- News18
Sindoor To Sophia: Rajasthan Names Great Indian Bustard Chicks After Key Officers Of Operation
Last Updated: "By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park The border state of Rajasthan is finding a unique way to honour the armed forces after Operation Sindoor – naming rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. 'By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with the story of national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park. This year alone, 21 chicks have hatched under the Project GIB initiative, including seven in May and the latest one on June 1. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 by Indian military to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Subsequently, India responded strongly to Pakistan's attempts to target its military and civilian areas with drones, missiles and other weapons. The naming began with a chick born on May 5 being called ' Sindoor ' after the military operation. Others followed: 'Atom' (May 9) signifies the mission's strategic power; 'Mishri' (May 19) honours an undercover cyber intelligence officer; 'Vyom' (May 23) is named after Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and 'Sophia' (May 24) is dedicated to Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the two officers led the official media briefing of the operation. 'It's not just about saving a bird, it's about preserving the values that define us as a nation," Gupta added. THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD The Great Indian Bustard has been pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and infrastructural threats like power lines. Presently, fewer than 150 remain in the wild, most of them in Rajasthan. To counter this crisis, Project GIB was launched in 2018 as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the Rajasthan Forest Department. The breeding centres at Sudasari and Sam are equipped with AI-enabled surveillance, temperature-controlled incubators, and sensor-based monitoring systems. This advanced infrastructure ensures real-time tracking of egg conditions and chick health. Till date, the centres have successfully hatched and nurtured 65 chicks. The newly born chicks are being gradually trained in semi-natural enclosures to help them adapt to wild conditions. The eventual goal is their reintroduction into open desert landscapes, where their survival and breeding in the wild will mark a turning point in India's conservation journey.
