Rajasthan releases first captive-bred Great Indian Bustards into the wild at Desert National Park

Key facts

• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released two male captive-bred Great Indian Bustards into the wild at the Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, marking the first step in rewilding the critically endangered species.
• The released birds were raised at conservation facilities in Jaisalmer's Sam and Ramdevra.
• The Great Indian Bustard conservation programme is a collaborative initiative of the Union Environment Ministry, the Rajasthan Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• The Sam and Ramdevra facilities currently house 97 Great Indian Bustards, of which 40 originated from wild-laid eggs and 57 were bred in captivity.
• Of the 97 birds, 86 are maintained for captive reproduction while 11 have been earmarked for release into the wild.
• Captive reproduction of the Great Indian Bustard produced 24 live chicks in 2025 and 29 in 2026.