Latest news with #SutirthaDutta
The Print
15-05-2025
- General
- The Print
9 Great Indian Bustard chicks were moved from Jaisalmer to safety in night op amid Pakistani shelling
Sam is 40 km from the India-Pakistan border, and Ramdevra is 225 km away. Initially housed in Jaisalmer's Ramdevra Great Indian Bustard Conservation Centre, and Sam Conservation and Breeding Centre, both close to the India-Pakistan border which had come under gunfire and artillery shelling, the Great Indian Bustard chicks had to be evacuated. The birds—categorised as critically endangered—took a long journey to Ajmer, where they are now ensconed in an entirely different centre. New Delhi: Nine newborn Great Indian Bustard chicks aged five to 28 days were among those who bore the brunt of the India-Pakistan standoff. The nine birds travelled 10 hours, covering over 200 km from their birth centres in Jaisalmer to the Ajmer centre in Arwar village. The Ajmer centre houses lesser Floricans, another critically endangered bird and the smallest in the bustard family. The transfer currently remains an 'interim measure' but also opens up the possibility of a satellite centre away from Jaisalmer, serving as a potential home for the captively bred Great Indian Bustards. 'Arwar is a bigger centre than Sam, and additional infrastructure is under construction. Activities in Arwar are also similar [to what happens in Ramdevra and Sam],' said Sutirtha Dutta, a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) senior scientist, who helms the bustard conservation programme. 'We are also building an additional cage, which will be ready in the next one to two months.' The cages being developed are the same model as the ones existing in the other centres, except bigger, and the additional cage would accommodate 20 birds. Meanwhile, Ramdevra is also upping the ante by building two new cages. There are currently 64 captively bred Great Indian Bustards. A collaboration between the WII and the Rajasthan forest department, their conservation programme has been hailed as a success. Ramdevra houses 28 birds, Sam 24, and now, Arwar nine. No final decision on the transfer of Arwar's nascent Great Indian Bustard population has, so far, been made. 'Discussions are still ongoing. We haven't had any discussion on Ajmer as a third centre,' said Rajasthan Deputy Conservator of Forests Brijmohan Gupta. However, Dutta said that 'for Great Indian Bustards of this size, as well as the lesser Floricans, the infrastructure needed is nearly the same'. He added that the India-Pakistan escalations, which made the conservation programme 'vulnerable', called for a 'spur of the moment decision'. In the event of a 'calamity' at Sam, more birds could have been transferred. The Great Indian Bustards that moved reflect a genetically diverse stock, including those born by artificial insemination. A over-200 km journey Of the nine birds moved to the Arwar centre, four are from Sam and five from Ramdevra. Carried in AC vehicles on soft-suspension foam beds, the birds, accompanied by technicians, were moved on 10 May at night. Transfers are regular between Ramdevra and Sam. Transportation, therefore, did not become as big an issue as it could have been. According to Dutta, Great Indian Bustards can be transported easily when they are young till they reach three-four months of age. However, the journey to Alwar was far longer than the travel time GIBs are accustomed to. According to conservation biologist Sumit Dookia, who has been instrumental in turning the local population of Jaisalmer into Great Indian Bustard stakeholders, the move was in the pipeline. However, the India-Pakistan conflict hastened the process. 'Over the last two to three years, efforts have been made to build a centre away from Jaisalmer,' he said. 'The current escalatory situation was used to convince local people that this was a move to save the Great Indian Bustard from the upcoming situation.' The locals were reluctant about the transfer since they have forged a deep bond with the Great Indian Bustards, and tending to the wild birds is now a part of Jaislamer's culture. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Frantic car ride to hunkering in hotel basement, how my father's advice got me through Poonch shelling
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Away from hostile borders, bustards find home in Ajmer
On May 9, two days after Pakistan launched drones and missiles targeting various locations in India — most were brought down by India's air defence system — India moved some precious cargo from Jaisalmer, around 10km from the Pakistan border, to Ajmer, roughly 500km to the east. The live cargo, nine Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) chicks, were moved in special vehicles to a centre that may now be the second captive breeding centre of a species that has been reduced to a few hundred individuals. Captive breeding — 25 chicks were hatched from captive breeding efforts in the past year alone — has emerged as a possible way to combat (or at least defer), the imminent extinction of the species, and in the wake of the drone attacks, the Rajasthan forest department decided to provide a second home to captive bred GIBs in Ajmer, moving some from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) run captive bred centre in Jaisalmer. Senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute, Sutirtha Dutta, said the GIB chicks were shifted to Ajmer on May 8 for 'security' reasons. 'As the Ramdevra Centre is located near the border, and in light of the tense situation and massive drone activity, the relocation was necessary to ensure the birds' safety and protection.' Dutta added that nine chicks were shifted on May 8, and there were plans to relocate the remaining ones in the following weeks. However, the plan has been postponed with the two sides agreeing to a ceasefire. On the morning of May 7, India struck at nine terror hubs in Pakistan, a response to the killing of 26 Indians in a targeted attack by terrorists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22. Pakistan responded by launching waves of drones and missiles at civilian and military targets in India. Indian forces repulsed these attacks and struck back, inflicting major damage on Pakistani military installations including air bases. On May 10, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations called up his Indian counterpart requesting a cessation of hostilities. According to Dutta, the chicks, aged between five and 20 days were transported in specially designed soft-suspension vehicles to ensure their comfort and safety. He added that the transportation was conducted under the supervision of expert handlers, with a dedicated team of trainers accompanying the chicks to ensure their well-being. He added that bringing the chicks back is not only challenging but also unsafe. 'We are exploring the option of whether we can keep them there permanently or return them once the situation stabilizes,' he said. Brijmohan Gupta, deputy conservator of forest at the desert national park (DNP) in Jaisalmer, said, 'They are discussing the possibility of keeping the chicks there to provide a second home for them.' He added a final decision will be taken in a few days. Dutta said the choice of Arwar village in Ajmer district was strategic as it has already hosts the Lesser Florican Conservation Centre and is equipped with the necessary infrastructure for handling sensitive conservation operations. Arwar village hosts India's first Lesser Florican Conservation Breeding Centre, a vital initiative aimed at saving one of the country's most endangered grassland birds. Developed jointly by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Rajasthan forest department, the centre aims to reverse the drastic decline of the Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus), known for its dramatic courtship leaps during the monsoon. In 2023, the centre achieved the successful hatching of 11 Lesser Florican chicks—a landmark moment in the species' recovery. This was the first time such a number of hatchings occurred in captivity in India, offering hope for increasing the bird's critically low population, currently estimated to be under 250 in the wild. The population of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard under India's national breeding programme has doubled from its founding number in just two years. On May 9, the programme marked the hatching of its 18th chick of the year, with nine of them born through artificial insemination—a ground breaking achievement in avian conservation. The remaining chicks were born naturally under controlled, captive conditions, officials said. Since it began in June 2019, the Bustard Recovery Programme has successfully reared 62 birds in total from wild-collected eggs and through captive breeding efforts. Currently, the Ramdevra Breeding Centre in Jaisalmer houses 29 birds, the Sam Centre holds 24, and nine birds have recently been transferred to Arwar, Ajmer.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Rajasthan: After Jaisalmer, Ajmer might be new home for Great Indian Bustards
Barmer: Ajmer may become the second home of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustards (GIBs), following safety concerns along the India-Pakistan border amid heightened tensions between the two now, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) operated a captive breeding centre in Jaisalmer, located about 10 km from the Pakistan border, the only habitat for GIBs. A day after drone sightings were reported on May 8 in Jaisalmer, apart from Ramgarh, Pokhran, and Barmer in Rajasthan, the forest department relocated nine newly hatched GIB chicks to the conservation centre at Arwar in Ajmer, senior WII scientist Sutirtha Dutta said. 'As the Ramdevra Centre is located near the border, and in light of the tense situation and massive drone activity, the relocation was necessary to ensure the birds' safety and protection. We are exploring the option of whether we can keep them at the Arwar Centre permanently or return them to Jaisalmer once the situation stabilises,' Dutta said. Arwar was chosen as it already hosts the Lesser Florican Conservation Centre and is equipped with the necessary infrastructure for handling such sensitive conservation operations. Developed jointly by the WII and the forest department, the centre aims to reverse the drastic decline of the country's most endangered grassland bird, Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus), known for its dramatic courtship leaps during the monsoon. Also Read: Great Indian Bustard conservation milestones: 3 born in a day, 4 in a week The GIB chicks, aged between five to 20 days, were transported in specially designed soft-suspension vehicles to ensure their comfort and safety. 'The transportation was conducted under the supervision of expert handlers, with a dedicated team of trainers accompanying the chicks to ensure their well-being throughout the journey,' Dutta said. 'Discussions on the possibility of keeping the GIB chicks there and provide a second home for them are going on. A final decision will be taken in the coming days,' deputy conservator of forest at the Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer Brijmohan Gupta. Also Read: Boost for fight to save Great Indian Bustard as chick born through IVF The population of the critically endangered GIB under India's national breeding programme has doubled from its founding number in just two years. On May 9, 2025, the programme marked the hatching of its 18th chick of the year, with nine of them born through artificial insemination—a groundbreaking achievement in avian conservation. The remaining chicks were born naturally under controlled, captive conditions, officials said. Since the beginning in June 2019, the Bustard Recovery Programme has successfully reared 62 birds in total from wild-collected eggs and through captive breeding efforts, officials added.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
India-Pakistan tensions: Flight to safety for Great Indian Bustard babies from border
Representative image JAIPUR: As border tensions rippled into wildlife zones, conservationists raced to shield newborn Great Indian Bustard babies from warzone - and keep fragile recovery efforts alive. Nine chicks were relocated from a key conservation site in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district following drone incursions and artillery fire from Pakistan. Sensitive to loud sounds and shockwaves, bustards are particularly vulnerable during early stages of life. Ramdevra Conservation Centre, located just a few km from Indo-Pak border, hosts the country's sole bustard recovery programme. Following shelling on May 10, scientists and forest officials moved nine of the 18 chicks born this year to a safer facility in Arwar village of Ajmer district - nearly 500km east. "The chicks, aged between five and 28 days, were transported in soft-suspension vehicles fitted with padded compartments and sand bedding to reduce stress during the 10-hour journey," said Sutirtha Dutta, senior scientist at Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Several of the chicks were hatched through artificial incubation - an effort to revive one of India's most endangered bird species, with fewer than 130 believed to remain in the wild. "The relocation was carried out successfully. The chicks are healthy and have acclimatised well," said Arijit Banerjee, head of Rajasthan Forest Service, also known as Forest Force.
