State PCS - Rajasthan (RAS)

• 12 Apr 2025

Ramdevra Great Indian Bustard Conservation Center

Why in News? 

For the first time, a chick has been born through artificial breeding at the Ramdevra Great Indian Bustard Conservation Centre located in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan . 

Key Points 

• About the chick : 
  • With this birth, the total number of Great Indian Bustards born through captive breeding has reached 51 . 
  • The chick was born through a natural mating process involving the female Jerry and the male Salkha . 
  • The programme is being run in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) , the state forest department , and the Abu Dhabi-based International Fund for Houbara Conservation . 
  • Ramdevra Conservation Centre , established in 2022 , is located near the Desert National Park , the natural habitat of the Great Indian Bustard. 
• Great Indian Bustard: 
  • The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is the state bird of Rajasthan and is considered the most critically endangered bird of India. 
  • It is considered a key grassland species, representing the grassland ecology. 
  • These are mostly found in Rajasthan and Gujarat. This species is found in small numbers in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh . 
  • Protection status: 
    • International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List: Critically Endangered 
    • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix-1 
    • Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix-I 
    • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule-1 

Desert National Park 

• It is located in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of Rajasthan . 
• Great Indian Bustard, Rajasthan's state animal- Chinkara , state tree- Khejri and state flower- Rohida are found naturally in this park . 
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 and a national park in 1992 .