Great Indian Bustard

Great Indian Bustard : Recently, in a significant step towards balancing conservation efforts with clean energy expansion, a Supreme Court-appointed expert committee has proposed the establishment of designated “power corridors” in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

o These corridors aim to mitigate the risk of fatal collisions between overhead power lines and the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.

• About Great Indian Bustard: Large bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs, giving it an ostrich-like appearance. Among the heaviest flying birds in the world.

o Easily identifiable by a black crown on the forehead, contrasting with a pale neck and head.

o Males have larger crowns than females, and both sexes differ in feather coloration.

o Habitat and Distribution: Endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

- Primarily inhabit dry and semi-arid grasslands with scattered bushes and scrub patches.

- Historically widespread, but now locally extinct in 90% of its original range.

- Currently found in parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

o Features : Primarily terrestrial, spending most of their time on the ground.

- Capable of flying but only for short distances, typically to move between areas.

- Diurnal in nature, active during early mornings and evenings.

- Omnivorous in nature and feed on insects, grass seeds, berries, rodents, and reptiles.

- In agricultural areas, they consume exposed groundnuts, millets, and legume pods.

o Declared the state bird of Rajasthan.

o Protection: IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered ; CITES: Appendix I ; WPA, 1972: Schedule I