The Perilous Plight of Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan

H S Gehlot^1, and Tapan Adhikari, Vipul Kachhwaha¹

¹Wildlife Conservation Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Bhagat Ki Kothi, Rajasthan, India-342001

Cite this paper:
H S Gehlot and Tapan Adhikari, Vipul Kachhwaha. The Perilous Plight of Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2021; 9(4):410-418. doi: 10.12691/aees-9-4-1

Abstract

This paper summarizes the population dynamics and distribution of the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan from 2018 to 2020. The Scan and focal sampling along with the intensive seasonal survey methodology was adopted to assess the population dynamics and movement pattern of the state bird of Rajasthan. The entire study area is divided into 231 grids consisting of 3 blocks and covered using a transect of 3875.49 km, which helped systematic assessment of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) population. A total of 54 potential grids for GIB has been identified based on the presence and absence of the species and associated habitat of the region. The authors had observed 42 distinct GIB individuals and a record sighting of 11 GIB in a flock at the Thar landscape of Rajasthan. This paper depicts the importance of seasonal migration, and land use utilization for GIB. Authors had also identified two distinct resident populations of GIB i.e. one each from the Khetoloi-Ramdevra belt and Sudashree-Chohani-Sipla belt. The paper had implicated the transboundary movement of this bird towards the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan and raises concern over the same.

Keywords:
Great Indian Bustard population dynamics Thar Desert Rajasthan

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Das, S. K. (2007). Checklist and distribution of saurian fauna in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Tigerpaper, 34(2), 20-23.
[2]	Sharma, G. (2013). A review on the Studies on Faunal diversity, status, threats and conservation of Thar Desert or Great Indian Desert Ecosystem. In Biological Forum–An International Journal, 5(2), 81-90.
[3]	Khan, S., Chatterjee, N., & Habib, B. (2019). Testing performance of large-scale surveys in determining trends for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps. Scientific reports, 9(1), 1-8.
[4]	Vijayvargiya, M. K., Mathur, R., & Sharma, B. K. (2013): Conservation of bustards with special reference to Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps: the state bird of Rajasthan. In Faunal Heritage of Rajasthan, India (pp. 333-345). Springer, New York, NY.
[5]	Ishtiaq, F., Dutta, S., Yumnam, B., & Jhala, Y. V. (2011): Low genetic diversity in the endangered great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) across India and implications for conservation. Conservation Genetics, 12(3), 857-863.
[6]	Ghouse, D. S. M., & Indira, P. (2015). Conservation Strategies of Great Indian Bustard-Ardeotis nigriceps of Rollapadu wild life sanctuary in India: An Overview.
[7]	Ali, S. (1969). The Great Indian Bustard. In Eleventh Technical Meeting Onzieme Reunion Technique (p. 58).
[8]	Dutta, S., Bhardwaj, G. S., Bhardwaj, D. K., & Jhala, Y. V. (2014). Status of Great Indian Bustard and Associated Wildlife in Thar. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and Rajasthan Forest Department, Jaipur.
[9]	Dutta, S., Bipin, C.M., Bhardwaj, G. S., Anoop, K.R., D. K., & Jhala, Y. V. (2016). Status of Great Indian Bustard and Associated Wildlife in Thar. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and Rajasthan Forest Department, Jaipur.
[10]	Dutta, S., Rahmani, A. R., & Jhala, Y. V. (2011). Running out of time? The great Indian bustard Ardeotis nigriceps—status, viability, and conservation strategies. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 57(3), 615-625.
[11]	Rahmani, A. R. (2006). Need to start project bustards. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, 20.
[12]	H S Gehlot, Tapan Adhikari, and Vipul Kachhwaha, “Eternal Attachment of Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo) to the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India.” Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, vol. 9, no. 1 (2021): 67-72.
[13]	Choi, C. Y., Nam, H. Y., & Lee, W. S. (2007). Measuring the behaviors of wintering Black-faced Spoonbills (Platalea minor): comparison of behavioral sampling techniques. Waterbirds, 30(2), 310-316.
[14]	Jaipal, B. R., & Gehlot, H. S. (2015). “Population status and conservation of the great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) in the desert national park of Rajasthan.” International Journal of Current Research" 7, (5), 15986-15989.
[15]	Rajput, A.S.D (2008). The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) on the verge of extinction. Current Science, 95(9), 1108.
[16]	Khan, A. A., Khaliq, I., Choudhry, M. J. I., Farooq, A., & Hussain, N. (2008). Status, threats and conservation of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) in Pakistan. Current Science, 1079-1082.
[17]	Dharmakumarsinhji, K.S., 1957. Ecological Study of the Great Indian Bustard in Kathiawar Peninsula, Western India, J. Zool. Sco. India, 9:140-152.
[18]	Dharmakumarsinhji, K.S., 1978. The changing wildlife of Kathiawar. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 75: 632-650.
[19]	Bird Life International 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: The Bird Life International red data book. BirdLife International, Cambridge.
[20]	Gehlot, H. S. (2006). Social Organization, behavioural and Resources selection patterns in Antelope cervicapra and Gazelle bennetti of Thar Desert Ph..D. Thesis J. N. Vyas University Jodhpur. 195pp.