Great Indian Bustard captive breeding enters fourth year with two new chicks; tally reaches 70
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on 13 March 2026 that two Great Indian Bustard chicks had hatched at Rajasthan's conservation breeding centre, taking the captive population to 70.
Summary
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on 13 March 2026 that Project Great Indian Bustard's captive breeding programme had entered its fourth year with two chicks hatched that week at the Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan. One chick came from natural mating and the other from artificial insemination, taking the number of birds in captivity to 70. Yadav said some of this year's captive-bred chicks will be soft-released into the wild and congratulated the Rajasthan Forest Department. The Great Indian Bustard is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which gives it the highest legal protection; it is Critically Endangered and is the state bird of Rajasthan, which launched its own Project Great Indian Bustard on 5 June 2013.
Key facts
- Announced
- 13 March 2026, by Bhupender Yadav
- Programme
- Captive breeding enters 4th year
- New chicks
- Two — one natural mating, one artificial insemination
- Captive tally
- 70
- Next step
- Some chicks to be soft-released in the wild
- Protection
- Schedule I, Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; Critically Endangered
- Rajasthan
- State bird; Project GIB launched 5 June 2013
Practice MCQs 3 questions
After two chicks hatched in March 2026, how many Great Indian Bustards are in captivity under Project GIB?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 70
The two new chicks took the tally of birds in captivity to 70, the Environment Minister said.
How were the two Great Indian Bustard chicks announced on 13 March 2026 produced?
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Correct answer: D — One by natural mating, one by artificial insemination
One chick came from natural mating and the other from artificial insemination at the Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan.
Consider the following statements about the Great Indian Bustard: 1. It is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. 2. It is the state bird of Gujarat. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct: Schedule I gives it the highest legal protection. Statement 2 is wrong: the Great Indian Bustard is the state bird of Rajasthan.