Jaisalmer: Two Great Indian Bustard chicks were born at the Ramdevra and Sudasari breeding centres in Jaisalmer on May 10 and May 11, taking the total number of birds at the two Wildlife Institute of India (WII) facilities to 86.The chick at the Ramdevra Breeding Centre was born on May 10 and the chick at the Sudasari Breeding Centre on May 11, both through artificial insemination (AI). With these births, the total number of Great Indian Bustards born through AI reached 26.The Ramdevra Breeding Centre now houses 61 GIBs, while the Sam centre has 25. The count is expected to rise in the coming days.The GIB is Rajasthan’s state bird and a Schedule I wildlife species on the brink of extinction.WII scientists said 18 chicks have been born at the breeding centres so far this year — 13 through AI, four through natural breeding, and one from an egg safely retrieved from the field. In contrast, only two chicks were sighted in the wild throughout the entire year. A recent WII census estimated about 128 GIBs in the wild, though numbers were not growing at a significant pace.Concern has also emerged from the Water Hole method count conducted on Vaishakh Purnima, which recorded a decline compared with previous years. This year’s count recorded 41 GIBs, compared with 63 in 2024 and 73 in 2025.Desert National Park deputy conservator of forests BM Gupta said the conservation campaign in the Jaisalmer desert achieved a significant milestone, adding that the gains were driven by modern scientific techniques such as Artificial Insemination.A large tunnel has been constructed at Ramdevra where young birds will be housed from an early stage. Before release into the wild, they will be trained to prepare them for life in the field.
