64 Great Indian Bustards spotted during ‘Waterhole’ survey in Jaisalmer

Barmer: There is finally good news regarding the state bird, the Great Indian Bustard, which is on the verge of extinction. Alongside an increase in their population at the breeding centre, there are now promising signs of a significant number of Great Indian Bustards in the wild.

For the first time, 64 Great Indian Bustards, also known as ‘Godawan,’ were spotted in Jaisalmer district during the annual waterhole survey, a method used for wildlife census. The survey began on May 23, coinciding with Vaishakh Purnima (full moon night), and continued for 24 hours until May 24. Ashish Vyas, the district forest officer at Desert National Park (DNP), confirmed the report.

The sighting of 64 Great Indian Bustards has created considerable excitement among wildlife enthusiasts. Officials reported that during the waterhole census, 21 Great Indian Bustards were seen in the Ramdevra region, while 43 were observed in the Sudasari, Gazai Mata, Jamra, Chouhani, Sipla, and Barna areas of Jaisalmer. Various other wildlife species were also observed alongside the Great Indian Bustard. 

Officials said that besides Godawan, more than 1000 Chinkaras, 30 Desert Cats, 150 Foxes and more than 100 Vultures were also spotted during the annual event.

Officials stated that this time, the forest department set up 42 water points in the DNP area, with 84 forest officials stationed on watchtowers at these points. Despite the scorching heat, the officials stayed on the watchtowers for a full 24 hours to count the wildlife. The count of the Great Indian Bustards was observed only in Ramdevra and Jaisalmer.

Additionally, a similar number of birds are estimated to be in the field firing range, but due to security reasons, counts are not conducted in the firing range.

In 2022, a count using the waterhole method recorded 42 Great Indian Bustards. However, the count could not be conducted in 2023 due to rains caused by a western disturbance. The 2022 count also included around 34 different types of wildlife species, totalling about 8,000 animals.

Every summer, the wildlife census is conducted using the waterhole method because animals come to drink water at these waterholes, which have been specially constructed in forest areas by the Forest Department. The animals are counted, especially during full moon nights, as they are easier to spot.

Experts explained that the primary reason for counting wild animals on Vaishakh Purnima is that this period is generally very hot, with temperatures in the desert state usually rising above 45 degrees Celsius. This extreme heat forces wildlife to come and drink water at least once every 24 hours. 

Additionally, the moonlight on this full moon night is the brightest, allowing wild animals to be easily seen from a distance without the aid of artificial lighting. Therefore, Vaishakh Purnima is considered the most suitable day for wildlife census across India.

The GIB is critically endangered, with fewer than 200 remaining in the Indian subcontinent. The state bird of Rajasthan is protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is listed in Schedule I of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The government had been making efforts for years to increase the number of Godawans and revive this endangered species. As part of the conservatory measures taken for the GIB, a breeding centre at Sam Rajasthan in Jaisalmer was established in 2019 as part of a joint effort between the ministry of environment, forest, and climate change (MoEFCC), Rajasthan Forest Department (RFD), and wildlife institute of India (WII) to conserve the critically endangered species.

After constructing breeding centres in Sudasari and Ramdevra in Jaisalmer, a significant increase in the number of Godawans has been recorded. At present, there are approximately 182 Godawans, including 34 at the breeding centres.