Mystery of 'missing' Great Indian Bustard chick not such a mystery, say officials — 'it had learnt to fly', Pg13

Key Highlights:

• A Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chick, hatched on March 26 in Kutch, Gujarat, after being transported as a fertile egg from Rajasthan, has not been seen for 4-5 days.
• The chick's birth marked the first successful deployment of the "jumpstart method" for GIB conservation in Gujarat.
• The chick went missing after it started flying around April 18, leading to fears it may have been preyed upon.
• Gujarat has only three surviving female GIBs in the wild, rendering their eggs infertile.

Detailed Insights:

• The "jumpstart method" involves swapping an infertile egg laid by a GIB in Kutch with a fertile egg from a captive breeding center in Rajasthan.
• The chick's disappearance is a setback for GIB conservation efforts, with the next egg-laying season not expected until after the monsoon.
• GIB populations have declined due to hunting, habitat loss, and collisions with energy transmission lines.
• The missing chick was not geotagged due to its small size, making it difficult to track its movements.
• The Naiya grassland, where the chick was hatched, is a notified forest and a natural habitat for the Great Indian Bustard.
• The GIB is a key indicator species of the grassland habitat, reflecting the overall health and biodiversity of the ecosystem.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Great Indian Bustard (GIB): A critically endangered large bird species native to the Indian subcontinent.
• Jumpstart Method: A conservation technique involving swapping infertile eggs with fertile eggs from captive breeding centers.
• Indicator Species: A species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects the health of an ecosystem.