The number of Great Indian Bustard has gone up from 11 in 2015 to 31 this year in the Pokran range of Rajasthan’s Desert National Park, PTI reported. It is the state bird of Rajasthan.
Puran Singh Rathore, an official of the Pokaran forest range, told the news agency that 11 birds have laid eggs this year. In 2016, six birds had laid eggs. “This has happened due to consistent efforts towards their conservation,” he added.
The bird, which is also known as Godawans in Rajasthan, is close to extinction. It is listed as critically endangered under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists habitat loss, degradation, hunting and direct disturbance as reasons for the decline in the bird’s population.
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