• UGI USER
  • Mar 30, 2024
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POWER THREAT TO THE BUSTARD

Why in the news?

Supreme Court reviews order to bury power lines in Great Indian Bustard habitat; Centre cites feasibility challenges amid conservation efforts.

source:toi

About the Great Indian Bustard Habitat Threat:

  • Supreme Court reconsiders 2021 order to bury power lines in Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitat.
  • GIB, critically endangered with less than 150 individuals, faces mortal danger from power lines in Kutch and Thar deserts.
  • Power lines pose risk due to birds’ limited frontal vision and large size, leading to collisions.
Key Features of Great Indian Bustard:

●     Species: Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), Rajasthan’s State bird, critically endangered.

●     Habitat: Mainly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, with smaller populations in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

●     Threats: Faces risks from power line collisions, hunting (in Pakistan), habitat loss due to agriculture expansion.

●     Reproduction: Slow reproductive rate, with few eggs laid and extensive parental care lasting almost a year.

●     Protection Status: Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, listed in Appendix 1 of CITES and CMS, and under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.