The great Indian bustard stands on the brink of extinction

The great Indian bustard stands on the brink of extinction. The bird has disappeared from 90% of its original range. The worst fear of environmentalists on the extinction of Great Indian bustards may soon come true.

The Indian bustard is considered among the largest flying birds in the world. In the early 1960s. Its population has been on a continuous decline from an estimated 1,260 in 1969 to 300 in 2008 recording a decline of about 75 percent. At present, its population is estimated to be of less than 200 across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Several threats — including power lines — are sealing the fate of these charismatic birds. While hunting was probably one of the first factors, bustard habitats have undergone tremendous change over the last decades.