INDIAN BUSTARDS' CONSERVATION REVIEW GRASS-LAND ECOLOGY -- A NEW THRUST

The Bustards received recognition while the Houbara was being bagged through falconry in the desert regions of Rajasthan during the late seventies, and this illegal sport was stopped, for ever, following strong public protest (Jaipur, Delhi, Bombay etc in 1978-79) during a period the forest and wildlife were administered by the Ministry of Agriculture in Government of India. The initiatives by Jaipur based individuals and a group (TWSI) led to holding the first ever International Symposium on Bustards (ISOB, Jaipur, 1,2,3 November, 1980) which paved the way of effective conservation of the species all over India.

The ISOB was supported by different organizations : Rajasthan Department of Forest, Rajasthan Department of Tourism, Indian National Science Academy, Department of Science & Technology (GoI), ICAR, US Fish & Wildlife Service, BNHS etc.

A postal stamp on Great Indian Bustard, First Day Cover and Information Sheet were formally released to mark the beginning of this meet, which was attended by several overseas experts too.

The meet brought to the fore the recognition of :

(a) Bustards' Conservation, and
(b) Grass-land Ecology in which Bustards survive.

It generated considerable interest among several States to ascertain whether or not Bustards occurred there - a new process of conservation thus started. Owing to maximum population of GIB, Rajasthan took the lead to demonstrate how the species had been maintained in wilderness as also in the Zoos (then in Bikaner and Jodhpur Zoos). This was followed by Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh which, soon after this Symposium, earmarked new habitats for being declared as Sanctuaries or Closed Areas for GIB conservation.

Only the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) appeared having received attention as a result of these efforts and the other three Bustard species could not sufficiently benefit out of this significant meet :

(a) Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indica)
(b) Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis); both endemic to India, and
(c) Houbara (Clamydotis macqueeni), which migrates to some North-Western parts of India.

The situation remains more or less similar to this day.
The Bustard species are receiving continued threats due to :

(i) fast changes occurring in the habitat
(ii) increase in human and cattle population
(iii) poaching
(iv) lack of perceptible priority to Grass-land habitats
(v) mining, irrigation and allied development programmes being accorded more priority than such species
(vi) lack of awareness, and
(vii) inadequate funding support with forest authorities to undertake effective conservation programmes for such flag-ship species in grass lands.

As a result all the four Bustard species are under severe threat - the grass land being under stress, which causes variety of economic strains to the State's economy and poses numerous (invisible) hardships to people, for whom development programmes are initiated, ironically, at the cost of such habitats.

Remarkably, the 1980 ISOB became a water-shed for conservation in India and there has not been similar event for conservation of a species in the country. The organizers, however, succeeded in holding the second ISOB in Peshawar, Pakistan, in 1983 to emphasize upon Pakistan to ban falconry : Houbara was saved in India but it was being hunted through falconry by the Arab Sheikhs in Pakistan, which did not leave enough Houbara birds to fly over to India! The global conservation community has been demanding an end to falconry there but with little success so far.

It is, therefore, appropriate to review what has been attempted all these years, and what steps need to be undertaken to try to improve habitat to offer new lease of life to Bustards, not only in Rajasthan but in the States where the species are reported.

The Rajasthan Department of Forest (it supported the ISOB, Jaipur, 1980) has the available expertise, experience and the will to take on the leadership for conservation of such species. The year 2005 marks completion of 25 years of the Bustard Conservation. Another Symposium on Bustards can be organised (at Jaipur). The MoEF, other States' Departments of Forest, some national institutes and possibly overseas experts and agencies, are willing to collaborate. It can provide new opportunities towards Bustards' Conservation, including start of some scientific experiments (Ringing or Colour Marking of birds, Radio Trekking, Satellite Transmitter Experiments etc), which are expected to provide answers to questions which have been keeping these species under cover of mystery.

Great Indian Bustard : States involved : Rajasthan (DNP, Desert areas, Sonkalia, Bhilwara, Sorsan etc), Gujarat (Banni region), Madhya Pradesh (Karera near Shivpuri), Maharashtra (Nasik and Nanaj), Karnataka (Ranebennur region), and Andhra Pradesh (Rolapaddu, south of Hyderabad).

Lesser Florican : Rajasthan (Dhamotar in Chittorgarh district, Sonkalia etc), Madhya Pradesh (Sailana), Gujarat (Velavadar), Maharashtra (Nasik) : where does it migrate after return from these breeding grounds in August is still a mystery).

Bengal Florican : Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), North Bihar, North West Bengal, and North Assam, and areas bordering Nepal (it is observed in certain habitats in Nepal eg Koshi Tapu Ramsar Site).

Houbara : Rajasthan and Gujarat (it migrates into arid-gravel habitats from the West).

Note :
(i) For reference, the book, "Bustards In Decline" by Paul D. Goriup & Harsh Vardhan, pages 400, published by TWSI in Jaipur, is available.
(ii) Mr. Abhijit Ghose and Mr. Arun Sen, signatories to ISOB, can comment (both served as Reportteur for the ISOB, 1980, and have due mention in this book).

        Interested? Click Here for Contact