Gujarat Hails Jumpstart Triumph as Great Indian Bustard Chick Hatches After a Decade

India marked a conservation milestone when a Great Indian Bustard chick hatched in Gujarat's Kutch district after a decade, via the jumpstart approach—a coordinated, inter-state effort announced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The operation involved moving an incubated egg 770 kilometres by road from Rajasthan to Gujarat, and placing it in the nest of a female GIB that had previously laid an infertile egg. The chick hatched on March 26 and is being monitored by a field team rearing it with its foster mother in its natural habitat.

This trans-state initiative was planned about a year ago and brought together the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the state Forest Departments of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the Wildlife Institute of India. The Project GIB, conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2011 to conserve the species in its natural grassland habitats, including those in Gujarat, has steadily progressed in strengthening conservation and recovery efforts, Yadav noted in a social media post.

From breeding centers at Sam and Ramdevra in Rajasthan to the wild nests in Gujarat’s grasslands, officials describe the latest hatch as a major achievement in boosting the species’ odds. The field team will continue to observe the chick as it is nurtured by its foster mother, with the aim of understanding how such jumpstart methods can support the species’ recovery across its range.

Experts say the success illustrates the potential of combining captive breeding with strategic trans-state cooperation to conserve one of India's most endangered birds. The government hopes the approach will pave the way for future interventions that could keep the bustard population from slipping further toward extinction.

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