Great Indian Bustard birth in Gujarat after a decade, with egg transported via halt-free 770 km corridor from Sam in Rajasthan
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Context
For the first time in a decade, a Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chick has hatched in Gujarat's Kutch region. This was achieved through a novel conservation method called the 'jumpstart' approach, involving the transport of a fertile egg from a captive breeding centre in Rajasthan. This inter-state effort, coordinated by the Union Environment Ministry, state forest departments, and the Wildlife Institute of India, is a critical milestone for the GIB, a critically endangered species with only about 150 individuals remaining in the wild.
UPSC Perspectives
Environmental
The Great Indian Bustard is a flagship species of grassland ecosystems, and its survival indicates the health of these habitats. Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and under Schedule I of the , the GIB faces severe threats from habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, industrialization, and especially, collisions with high-tension power lines. This event showcases an innovative conservation technique that bridges in-situ (conservation in natural habitat) and ex-situ (conservation outside natural habitat) methods. The 'jumpstart' approach uses a fertile egg from an ex-situ captive breeding program ( in Rajasthan) and places it in the nest of a wild female for hatching and rearing (in-situ). This is crucial for the Gujarat GIB population, which consists only of females, rendering their eggs infertile. The success of this experiment provides a new template for the genetic rescue and revival of functionally extinct populations of other endangered species.
Governance
This success story is a prime example of cooperative federalism in environmental management. It involved seamless collaboration between two states ( and ), the central government (Union Environment Ministry), and a specialized technical institution (). The creation of a 770 km 'halt-free corridor' for transporting the egg demonstrates a high degree of administrative and logistical coordination. Such inter-agency cooperation is vital for tackling complex environmental challenges that transcend state boundaries, such as wildlife migration, river pollution, and air quality management. The project's framework, guided by recommendations from a Supreme Court-appointed expert committee, also highlights the increasing trend of evidence-based policymaking and the integration of scientific expertise into governmental conservation programs.
Polity & Legal
The backdrop of this event is significant judicial intervention by the to protect the GIB. In a landmark case, the court addressed the high mortality rate of GIBs from collisions with power lines in their habitat. Invoking of the Constitution (Right to Life, which has been interpreted to include the right to a clean and healthy environment), the Court initially ordered the undergrounding of power lines in GIB habitats. While later modifying its order to balance conservation with renewable energy goals, the Court's intervention was instrumental. It established an expert committee to devise practical solutions, leading to the recommendation of the 'jumpstart' method. This illustrates a proactive form of judicial activism where the judiciary steps in to protect environmental heritage, direct executive action, and oversee the implementation of conservation strategies, ensuring that development does not come at the cost of irreversible biodiversity loss.