Bird Conservation in India: From Species Protection to Landscape Conservation

Why in News?

Two male Great Indian Bustards (GIB) were recently released into the wild at Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, under India’s captive-breeding and conservation programme.

Great Indian Bustard: Key Facts

• Scientific name: Ardeotis nigriceps
• Local name: Godawan
• Habitat: Dry grasslands and semi-arid landscapes, particularly Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• Population has declined sharply from around 1,260 in 1969 to nearly 120 today.
• The species has remained critically endangered and close to extinction for decades.
• The conservation programme currently has about 97 birds, including captive-bred individuals.

Major Threats:

• Hunting: Historically a major cause of population decline.
• Habitat loss: Grasslands converted into agricultural land.
• Pesticide use: Intensive agriculture affects food availability and survival.
• Roads and infrastructure: Fragmentation of grassland habitats.
• High-tension power lines: A major modern threat because the heavy bird flies at a similar height and has limited ability to detect power lines.

Conservation Measures:

• Captive breeding and release into suitable habitats.
• Identification and protection of priority/critical habitats.
• Undergrounding of selected power lines in critical GIB habitats following Supreme Court intervention.
• Greater recognition of the Godawan as a symbol of Rajasthan’s natural heritage.

Beyond the Great Indian Bustard:

India faces wider bird-conservation challenges:

• Around 1,256 bird species globally are threatened.
• Skylark populations have declined significantly.
• Indian roller populations have also declined.
• Conservation efforts often focus on high-profile species, while less prominent birds receive limited attention.

Problem with Species-Centric Conservation:

• Conservation increasingly relies on isolated reserves, enclosures and species-specific programmes.
• Such approaches can create ecological islands separated from surrounding landscapes.
• When animal populations expand beyond protected areas, they may enter villages and agricultural fields, increasing human–wildlife conflict.
• Artificially introducing species or vegetation without considering local ecology can also disturb existing ecosystems.

Landscape-Based Conservation:

The focus should shift from protecting only individual species to protecting entire ecological landscapes.

This requires:

• Protection of grasslands, forests, wetlands and corridors.
• Maintaining habitat connectivity.
• Integrating local communities and livelihoods into conservation.
• Reducing infrastructure-related threats.
• Promoting coexistence between wildlife and human populations.
• Ensuring that conservation interventions are based on local ecological conditions.

Conclusion:

India’s conservation strategy must move beyond symbolic species protection towards landscape-level, habitat-based and community-oriented conservation. Protecting ecosystems rather than isolated species can provide more sustainable outcomes for both biodiversity and human communities.

Mains Question:

“Landscapes, rather than individual species, should be the primary unit of biodiversity conservation in India.” Discuss in the context of the Great Indian Bustard and emerging human–wildlife conflicts.