<p>The Forest department has joined hands with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to save the endangered Great Indian Bustards (GIB) of North Karnataka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The bird, mostly sighted in parts of North Karnataka, Chitradurga, Koppal and Raichur, is on the brink of extinction with only around 20-30 surviving, out of the 200-odd population in India, according to estimates.<br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, Vinay Luthra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said: “After a recent meeting, it was decided that a detailed master plan will be prepared to ascertain the cause for the dwindling population of Great Indian Bustards. We will plan what needs to be done at the earliest to protect the bird species.”<br /><br />The Ministry of Environment and Forests is also chalking out strategies to save the bird, which is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. <br /><br />Surjit S Narwade, a project scientist working with the BNHS to save the GIB, said the birds need large arid grasslands to survive. But such grasslands are a rarity now, he rued.<br /><br />He said illegal hunting of the bird, mostly for its meat, was another major issue. Increasing usage of pesticides is also a reason for the decreasing population of GIB, he said.<br /><br />Santosh Martin, a wildlife expert from Ballari, said the Forest department had declared them extinct in 1998 itself, when they had found no birds in Rannebennur.<br /><br />“However, in 2006, conservationist Samad Kottur and I rediscovered six GIBs in Sirguppa, Ballari. Later we found some in Koppal and Gadag,” he said.<br /><br />GIB conservation is a major challenge as they are found in private lands also. They lay one egg once a year and its survival rate is very low. <br /><br />The egg is often trampled by cattle or eaten by fox, dogs or even humans. One solution is captive breeding. <br /><br />It has been successful in Africa for Kori Bustards and can be tried here, too, he suggested.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The Forest department has joined hands with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to save the endangered Great Indian Bustards (GIB) of North Karnataka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The bird, mostly sighted in parts of North Karnataka, Chitradurga, Koppal and Raichur, is on the brink of extinction with only around 20-30 surviving, out of the 200-odd population in India, according to estimates.<br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, Vinay Luthra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said: “After a recent meeting, it was decided that a detailed master plan will be prepared to ascertain the cause for the dwindling population of Great Indian Bustards. We will plan what needs to be done at the earliest to protect the bird species.”<br /><br />The Ministry of Environment and Forests is also chalking out strategies to save the bird, which is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. <br /><br />Surjit S Narwade, a project scientist working with the BNHS to save the GIB, said the birds need large arid grasslands to survive. But such grasslands are a rarity now, he rued.<br /><br />He said illegal hunting of the bird, mostly for its meat, was another major issue. Increasing usage of pesticides is also a reason for the decreasing population of GIB, he said.<br /><br />Santosh Martin, a wildlife expert from Ballari, said the Forest department had declared them extinct in 1998 itself, when they had found no birds in Rannebennur.<br /><br />“However, in 2006, conservationist Samad Kottur and I rediscovered six GIBs in Sirguppa, Ballari. Later we found some in Koppal and Gadag,” he said.<br /><br />GIB conservation is a major challenge as they are found in private lands also. They lay one egg once a year and its survival rate is very low. <br /><br />The egg is often trampled by cattle or eaten by fox, dogs or even humans. One solution is captive breeding. <br /><br />It has been successful in Africa for Kori Bustards and can be tried here, too, he suggested.<br /><br /></p>