According to Wild Life International, there are only 300 bustards left, out of which 70 per cent birds are found in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, 30 birds in Nanaj near Solapur and 32 were found in Kutch.
This information means 10% of the bustard population of world is living in Kutch.
Another naturalist, asking for anonymity, said, "Due to industrialisation and changing lifestyle of Maldharis of Kutch, who used to live a nomadic life, has affected the grasslands. The forest department has initiated a campaign to save the bird a few years ago, but no results have been seen yet."
"The government has provided 200 hectares of land from Naliya to Laijao in Mandvi taluka, but it is fragmented grassland and not continuous land. So, in a way, it's in bits and pieces, which is of no help. In between, there is private land, land owned by forest department and there is no continuity which is a big danger for the bird as it does not know the difference between private farm and forest land. The bird is a big bird and this much land is not enough," he further explained.
Centre For Desert and Forest (CFDF), an NGO which is working in this direction, suggests that industrial houses, government and public must act as it is the right time before we lose a beautiful bird. For breeding and conservation, a core conservation centre must be started and some area must be notified specially for this purpose. Read the full report here.
Source: Kulsum Yusuf, TNN, Rajkot
