JAISALMER : India became the world’s first country to achieve success in the artificial breeding of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) with the birth of the third GIB chick through artificial insemination at Jaisalmer’s Desert National Park Thursday.
The technology and training for artificial insemination, obtained from Abu Dhabi-based organisation “International Fund for Houbara Conservation”, contributed to saving this rapidly vanishing Schedule I wildlife species. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists had received specialised training from the organisation.
Suthirto Dutta, WII senior scientist and coordinator of the GIB project at the Jaisalmer Bustard Breeding Centre, said this was the third chick born entirely through artificial methods under this project, marking a historic achievement for India. This groundbreaking development was not just a success of a biological experiment but a milestone in giving new life to this rare bird on the brink of extinction. Dutta said the Bustard Recovery Programme achieved this remarkable feat through artificial insemination. The scientific team procured semen from a male at the Sam Conservation Breeding Centre and artificially inseminated a four-year-old female at the facility.
“Project Great Indian Bustard reached a new milestone as the 11th chick of 2025 hatched on April 17 from an egg laid by the female ‘Sharky’ on March 26 in Sam Centre, after being artificially inseminated on March 20 with semen from the male ‘Suda’ housed in Ramdevra Centre, taking the GIB tally in the national conservation breeding programme to 55. This also marked the third success in artificial insemination for the species,” said Dutta.
Suthirto Dutta said the procedure involved collecting male bustard sperm for artificial insemination, culminating in the birth of a vigorous chick. WII’s endeavours proved fruitful, with the artificial breeding centre demonstrating its efficacy. Specialists verified the chick’s robust health condition.
The technology and training for artificial insemination, obtained from Abu Dhabi-based organisation “International Fund for Houbara Conservation”, contributed to saving this rapidly vanishing Schedule I wildlife species. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists had received specialised training from the organisation.
Suthirto Dutta, WII senior scientist and coordinator of the GIB project at the Jaisalmer Bustard Breeding Centre, said this was the third chick born entirely through artificial methods under this project, marking a historic achievement for India. This groundbreaking development was not just a success of a biological experiment but a milestone in giving new life to this rare bird on the brink of extinction. Dutta said the Bustard Recovery Programme achieved this remarkable feat through artificial insemination. The scientific team procured semen from a male at the Sam Conservation Breeding Centre and artificially inseminated a four-year-old female at the facility.
“Project Great Indian Bustard reached a new milestone as the 11th chick of 2025 hatched on April 17 from an egg laid by the female ‘Sharky’ on March 26 in Sam Centre, after being artificially inseminated on March 20 with semen from the male ‘Suda’ housed in Ramdevra Centre, taking the GIB tally in the national conservation breeding programme to 55. This also marked the third success in artificial insemination for the species,” said Dutta.
Suthirto Dutta said the procedure involved collecting male bustard sperm for artificial insemination, culminating in the birth of a vigorous chick. WII’s endeavours proved fruitful, with the artificial breeding centre demonstrating its efficacy. Specialists verified the chick’s robust health condition.
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