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6 rare Houbara Bustards rescued from Thar Desert over 3 years remain confined
Deputy forest conservator (wildlife) Sunil Gaur said that they have no objection to releasing the birds in the wild if the veterinarians declare the bustards fit
Six of the eight rare injured Houbara Bustards rescued from the Thar Desert between 2020 and 2023 remain confined at the Machia Biological Park in Jodhpur while the two others have died. Experts have expressed concern over the confinement and called for their release for the continuation of research on their migration patterns.
Deputy forest conservator (wildlife) Sunil Gaur said they have no objection to releasing the birds in the wild if the veterinarians declare the bustards fit. Shrawan Singh Rathore, a wildlife veterinarian, called for a thorough assessment of the birds.
Hemsingh Gehlot, who heads the Wildlife Research Centre at Jai Narayan Vyas University, cited a report from a wildlife veterinarian, saying three of the bustards were healthy and fit for release. He added that they remain confined, and two out of the eight have died.
Gehlot said India is home to four of the 25 bustard species and all face threats. He added two species, the Bengal Florican and Great Indian Bustard, were critically endangered. Gehlot said the Lesser Florican is endangered, and the Houbara Bustard is deemed as vulnerable.
Protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, the Houbara Bustard are major winter migratory birds in the desert region. “Traditionally hunted across its range, the Houbara Bustard faces peril from Arab countries to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan,” said Gehlot. He added the species were driven away from Arabian countries due to human pressure and royal hunting. “Currently, the Bustard is predominantly in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, with a diminishing presence in India.”
Gehlot said the species migrates to the Thar Desert in winter. “Five [of the eight migratory birds rescued between 2020 and 2023] were identified for scientific study. Unfortunately, their confinement inhibits researchers from studying their activities,” he said.
Gehlot said approval is needed from the Central Zoo Authority for keeping such species in permanent captivity. He added no such permission had been obtained.
