In a first, 3 chicks of Great Indian Bustard released into rewilding tunnel

In a first, three chicks of the endangered Great Indian Bustard have been released into a specially designed rewilding tunnel at the Godawan Conservation Centre in Jaisalmer’s Ramdevra, officials said.

The state-of-the-art facility, built at `9.25 crore, aims to prepare captive-bred chicks for survival in the wild by minimising human contact and simulating natural conditions.

Forest officials described the development as a “historic milestone” in the conservation programme, as it marks a shift from captive breeding to successful reintroduction into natural habitats.

“For the first time, three chicks have been placed in the rewilding tunnel where they will learn to adapt to natural surroundings without direct human interaction,” an official said.

According to the officials, the chicks will remain inside the tunnel for about four months under continuous CCTV surveillance. While food will be provided externally, no direct human contact will take place, allowing the birds to gradually develop survival instincts such as foraging, movement in open terrain and adapting to desert ecology.

Deputy Conservator of Forests Ashok Singh said, “The focus is now on preparing these birds for life in the wild so that they can be safely rehabilitated in their natural habitat.

After the rewilding phase, the chicks are expected to be released into the Desert National Park, where efforts are underway to revive the natural population of the critically endangered bird.

Wildlife experts believe the initiative could prove to be a game-changer for the species, whose numbers have dwindled drastically over the years. The Great Indian Bustard is the State bird of Rajasthan.

They said the success of this experiment could pave the way for large-scale reintroduction of captive-bred birds into the wild, bringing the long-standing goal of restoring the Great Indian Bustard population in Rajasthan’s deserts closer to reality.