The Great Indian Bustard

When independent India was choosing its national bird, one of the candidates that didn't make the selection was the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), due, in part, to the rather unfortunate reason that a misspelling of the bird's name would lead to sniggers. If the GIB had been chosen as the national bird, my guess is its fate would probably have been different. As it turns out today, only an estimated 150 survive in the wild, with a vast majority of them residing in Pokaran. This is the region in Rajasthan where India conducted its nuclear tests, and much of this region is still used by the army for artillery practice drills. The GIB's last preserve is an area that is expressly unfit for most other life. If that's not a commentary on the Anthropocene, I don't know what is.

On my first day at Pokaran, as we set out in the early hours in search of the GIB, I was reminded of Douglas Adams' book "Last Chance to See," in which Adams and his co-author go in search of species on the brink of extinction. For me, this trip was probably my own last chance to see this spectacular bird. We first went to a large stretch of grasslands that the local Bishnoi community has set aside for the preservation of the GIB. We waited for hours but failed to spot a single one. That evening, one of the local forest rangers, a passionate conservationist from the local community, volunteered to take me to another enclosure guarded by the state forest department. As soon as we entered the fenced enclosure, it looked like a different habitat with acres of lush, un-grazed golden grass. Within minutes we spotted our first Bustard, shyly watching us from the safety of about 200m distance. Even from this distance, it was remarkable to see that this large bird could actually take off from the ground and fly long distances.

After driving around for another hour, we spotted a larger male displaying its impressive gular patch. I couldn't photograph the bird since it was far away and partly hidden in the shade of a Khejri tree. I had finally seen a species of which only around 100-150 individuals survive in the wild. Even as I made my trip to these parts, I was burdened with the mixed emotions of excitement and foreboding. However, after my personal experience here, I came away feeling a little more optimistic. Some of the conservation initiatives are promising. The habitat of the Bustard has been reasonably well-preserved within the fenced enclosures.

Some of the biggest threats to the bird are the high tension wires criss-crossing this region. My colleagues here have installed deflectors all over the lines, combining flapping pieces visible in the daytime with flickering red lights at night, these devices help the birds navigate away from danger. But most of all, what fills me with hope is the spirit of the Bishnoi community. They've stayed true to their reputation as uncompromising custodians of this habitat. So far, they've held out against the increasing commercial pressures. As long as they stand guard, I'm confident these magnificent birds will bounce back.