The Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors is a topic of urgent importance in India’s wildlife protection efforts. The Great Indian Bustard, a symbol of India’s grassland heritage, is now critically endangered. Once found in large numbers across India, this majestic bird is now struggling for survival. One of the biggest threats to its existence is the danger from power line corridors. Understanding how these power lines affect the bird and how we can make them safer is crucial if we want to save this species from extinction.
Understanding the Great Indian Bustard
Before we discuss Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors, we must first understand what makes this bird so unique.
- Physical Features: The Great Indian Bustard is a tall bird, almost one meter in height, with a long neck and strong legs. Its body is covered in shades of brown and white, with black markings on the wings.
- Weight and Size: It is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, weighing up to 15 kilograms.
- Diet: The bird feeds on seeds, insects, small reptiles, and even crops like bajra, which makes it important for controlling pests in farmlands.
- Habitat: It prefers wide open grasslands and semi-desert regions where it can watch out for predators.
- Distribution: Today, its major population survives only in Rajasthan, with smaller groups in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
Why Great Indian Bustard Conservation is Important
The Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors is not just about saving a bird, but also about protecting an entire ecosystem.
- Ecosystem Balance: By feeding on insects and seeds, the Great Indian Bustard helps maintain the balance of grassland ecosystems.
- Cultural Significance: Declared the state bird of Rajasthan, it represents India’s natural beauty and heritage.
- Indicator of Grassland Health: The bird’s survival shows how healthy our grasslands are. If the Great Indian Bustard disappears, it signals serious damage to our environment.
Without urgent action, the Great Indian Bustard may vanish forever, making conservation a top priority.
Main Threats to the Great Indian Bustard
The journey of Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors cannot be understood without knowing the threats that have reduced its numbers to less than 150 birds in the wild.
1. Habitat Loss
Large stretches of grassland have been turned into farmlands, industries, and urban areas, leaving the bird with little safe space to live and breed.
2. Predators and Stray Animals
The eggs and chicks are often attacked by foxes, dogs, and wild cats. Since the bird nests on the ground, the risk is even higher.
3. Human Disturbance
Farming, grazing cattle, road traffic, and noise disturb the bird during its breeding season, reducing its chances of survival.
4. Power Line Corridors
The most deadly threat today, which we must discuss in detail.
Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors
How Power Line Corridors Affect the Bird
Power line corridors are networks of high-tension electric wires spread over long distances to supply electricity. While they are necessary for human life, they have become dangerous for the Great Indian Bustard.
- Collision Danger: The Great Indian Bustard flies slowly and usually looks downward to search for food. Because of its poor forward vision, it often cannot see the power lines ahead and collides with them, leading to instant death.
- Electrocution Risk: If the bird touches live wires, it can be electrocuted.
- Disturbance to Habitat: The construction of towers and maintenance of power lines disturb the natural grasslands where the bird nests and feeds.
Research has shown that power line collisions are one of the top reasons for the declining numbers of the Great Indian Bustard.
Efforts Taken for Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors
Underground Power Lines
The government and wildlife groups are working to shift dangerous overhead wires underground in Great Indian Bustard habitats to make the skies safer.
Bird Diverters
Small reflective devices, called bird diverters, are attached to wires. They shine in the sun or glow at night, making the wires visible so the birds can avoid them.
Safe Corridors for Flight
Scientists and conservationists are mapping the flight routes of the Great Indian Bustard and ensuring that the most dangerous power lines are removed, shifted, or made safer.
Captive Breeding and Release
Special breeding centers in Rajasthan are raising Great Indian Bustard chicks in protected areas, with plans to release them into safe habitats once grown.
Community Participation
Local villagers are being encouraged to protect grasslands, monitor nests, and spread awareness. Community support is vital because the bird shares its habitat with human settlements.
How People Can Help in Great Indian Bustard Conservation
The success of Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors depends not only on the government but also on ordinary people.
- Spreading Awareness: Children and adults can share information about this bird and its dangers in schools, social groups, and communities.
- Supporting Green Energy Safely: Promoting renewable energy projects that use underground wiring instead of overhead lines.
- Protecting Grasslands: Avoid littering, grazing animals excessively, or cutting grasslands in bustard areas.
- Volunteering with NGOs: Join conservation programs that work directly in bustard habitats.
Future of Great Indian Bustard Conservation
If strong steps continue, the Great Indian Bustard still has hope. Protecting grasslands, making power line corridors safe, and ensuring community participation can bring the bird back from the edge of extinction. But if efforts are delayed, this bird may disappear forever, leaving only photographs and records behind.
Conclusion
The Great Indian Bustard Conservation: The Role of Power Line Corridors reminds us that development must go hand in hand with protecting nature. Power lines give us electricity, but with careful planning—like using underground lines and bird diverters—we can prevent them from becoming death traps for the Great Indian Bustard. Saving this bird is not just about protecting a species; it is about keeping alive the spirit of India’s grasslands for future generations.
