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A five-year-old Great Indian Bustard, one of the rarest bird species in the world, was found dead inside a cage at a breeding centre in Jaisalmer's Sudasari village.
Listed as 'critically endangered' on the IUCN Red List since 2011, the Great Indian Bustard is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world.
DNP Deputy Forest Conservator Bujmohan Gupta said an injury mark was found on the bird's head during examination after it was brought to the Desert National Park (DNP) office.
"Yesterday we received information about the death of a female Great Indian Bustard. The Great Indian Bustard is the state bird of Rajasthan and their number is very less in our country...The Great Indian Bustard had a head injury...The medical department conducted the post-mortem and the last rites were performed as per protocol. We will send samples to Bareilly and Dehradun," the Deputy Forest Conservator said in a video posted on X by ANI.
#WATCH | Jaisalmer, Rajasthan: DFO of Jaisalmer, Brijmohan Gupta says, "Yesterday we received information about the death of a female Great Indian Bustard. The Great Indian Bustard is the state bird of Rajasthan and their number is very less in our country...The Great Indian… pic.twitter.com/0BOZL1Ajtk
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2025
The population of the rare bird, almost exclusively in found in India, has steadily declined by 75% in last 30 years, according to a report by the Wildlife Institute Of India.
Samples from the bird's body have been sent to a laboratory in Dehradun to determine the cause of death, officials said. The bird was cremated as per protocol, confirmed Mr Gupta.
The population of the rare bird, almost exclusively in found in India, has steadily declined by 75% in last 30 years, according to a report by the Wildlife Institute Of India.
Preliminary reports suggest that the bird may have collided with the cage while flying or succumbed to another cause, say officials. However, the exact reason will be determined only after the laboratory analysis of the samples, Mr Gupta added.
World Wide Fund for Nature (India) says one of the biggest threat to this species is hunting. This is followed by occasional poaching outside Protected Areas, collisions with high tension electric wires, fast moving vehicles and free-ranging dogs in villages.
Read Here: In Rare Sighting, 12 Endangered Great Indian Bustards Spotted Together In Rajasthan
Jaisalmer is home to 173 Great Indian Bustards, with 128 roaming freely in the wild, while the remaining 45 (44 after recent death) are housed in the breeding centre, said Mr Gupta .
The population of the Great Indian bustard was once distributed throughout Western India as well as parts of Pakistan. Today, its population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat, says the World Wide Fund for Nature (India)