Context
A Wildlife Institute of India (WII) study has identified 16 priority conservation areas in the Deccan landscape for recovery of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB). It highlights traditional low-intensity agriculture, fallow lands and grasslands as crucial for habitat restoration and possible reintroduction.
Explanation
- Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is a large, ground-dwelling bird of India’s arid and semi-arid grasslands.
- It is classified Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Desert National Park, Rajasthan, is its principal remaining stronghold; small populations survive elsewhere.
- Major threats include grassland conversion, intensive agriculture, power-line collisions, pesticides, overgrazing, urbanisation and feral dogs.
- Traditional cultivation of pulses and oilseeds, mixed cropping and fallow fields creates an open agro-grassland mosaic suitable for GIB.
- Small, isolated populations face genetic bottleneck, low genetic variability and inbreeding depression.
- Conservation requires habitat connectivity, protection of open natural ecosystems and scientifically planned reintroduction.
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2026 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040