Effort to save Great Bustard

Ministry of Environment and Forest has decided to set up a task force for conserving the endangered species Great Bustard and to save its declining population. The bird has been declared "critically endangered" in the International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCNs) red list. The decision was taken at a workshop held recently and attended by environment ministry officials and wildlife experts from NGOs who felt that poaching and habitat destruction were the main causes for the dwindling population of the bird. The experts agreed to have in-situ and ex-situ conservation plan for these large brown and white majestic birds found in arid and semi-arid grasslands of the country. The great bustards are among a few birds found only in India and their number at present stands at 1,000.