October 16th, 2024 is going to be a date that will always be remembered at the Sudasari Great Indian Bustard Breeding Centre in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. In fact, this date will also not be forgotten by wildlife lovers as this day saw a historic first when a baby chick of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) was born via artificial insemination.
India has several different captive breeding programs running across the country for conservation of several endangered species. The hatching of the GIB has specifically brought in cheer as the species is critically endangered with just about 128 of them alive in the wild.
Under the central zoo authority there are certain species that have been identified that are endangered and are of special interest. Different zoos have been assigned for taking up their conservation via a captive breeding program.
India has also achieved some success with releasing vultures through a conservation breeding program at four Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBC) across the country in partnership with the Governments of Haryana in Pinjore (2001), West Bengal in Rajabhatkhawa (2005), Assam in Rani, Guwahati (2007), and MP in Bhopal (2011).
“I want a real emphasis should be on the wild/remaining population and the habitat. In-situ conservation has a sustainable future of wild population, where they breed, grow, and remain wild in the open. Captive Breeding is a very costly scientific experiment, results will be tested with time in future,” says Sumit Dookia, Wildlife Biologist and Faculty at GGS Indraprastha University, New Delhi.
Read the full story that first appeared in The Wildlife Watch Binocular here:
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