JAISALMER: A major milestone has been achieved under Project Great Indian Bustard (Project GIB), India’s flagship conservation programme for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), a Schedule I species protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. For the first time, three one-month-old GIB chicks have been shifted to the newly completed Rewilding Tunnel at the Great Indian Bustard Conservation and Breeding Centre in Ramdevra, Jaisalmer. The specially designed facility will prepare captive-bred birds for life in the wild by gradually exposing them to natural conditions while minimising human interaction. Wildlife experts described the development as a historic step that moves India’s GIB conservation programme beyond captive breeding towards the successful reintroduction of the species into its natural habitat.
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Acting Deputy Conservator of Forests, Desert National Park, Ashok Singh, said the combined population of Great Indian Bustards at the captive breeding centres in Ramdevra and Sam has now reached 98 birds. With breeding showing encouraging results, the next phase is to ensure the birds are capable of surviving independently in the wild. The Rewilding Tunnel, constructed by the Rajasthan State Road Development and Construction Corporation (RSRDC) at a cost of approximately ₹9.25 crore, has been under development for nearly two years near Ramdevra in the Pokhran region. It has been specifically designed to acclimatise captive-bred chicks before their release into the Desert National Park. On Saturday, three chicks — identified as R9, R10 and R11 — were transferred from the Ramdevra breeding centre to the tunnel. The birds, approximately one month old, include two males and one female. They will remain inside the facility for nearly four months before being released into their natural habitat. Unlike traditional captive breeding, where chicks are raised under constant human supervision, the Rewilding Tunnel is designed to eliminate direct human contact. Food will be provided without exposing the birds to people, while their behaviour and health will be monitored round the clock through an advanced CCTV surveillance system. During their stay, the chicks will learn to adapt to natural surroundings, move freely in open spaces, develop survival instincts and become familiar with the environmental conditions they will face in the wild. The objective is to ensure that, once released into the Desert National Park, they can survive independently with minimal human support. Singh said the primary objective of the Rewilding Tunnel is to prepare Great Indian Bustard chicks born at the conservation breeding centres in Ramdevra and Sam for survival in their natural desert habitat before their final release. Within this controlled natural environment, the chicks are gradually exposed to native vegetation, desert weather, insects and other ecological conditions, enabling them to develop essential survival skills and natural behaviour. After completing the acclimatisation period and demonstrating the ability to live independently, the birds will be released in phases into the Desert National Park. This marks a crucial step in India’s Great Indian Bustard rewilding programme and is expected to strengthen the species’ wild population. Wildlife experts believe the initiative could become a game-changing model for the recovery of one of the world’s rarest birds. The successful introduction of the first three chicks into the Rewilding Tunnel marks the beginning of a new chapter in India’s Great Indian Bustard conservation programme, bringing the goal of restoring sustainable wild populations in Rajasthan’s deserts one significant step closer.
