The population of critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has remained largely stable at around 130 in Rajasthan’s Thar landscape over the past seven years. However, the bird’s habitat continues to remain under increasing pressure from expanding infrastructure, restricting the species to a small fraction of its potential range, the new findings reveal.
The latest landscape-level status assessment by Wildlife Institute of India, conducted between October 2024 and April 2025, estimated the GIB population at 130 (± 21) (in the range of 109 to 151), almost unchanged from the previous assessment in 2017-18, in which the estimation was 128 (± 19). The survey covered nearly 14,000 sq km across Desert National Park (DNP), Pokhran Field Firing Range and surrounding habitats identified as priority GIB areas.
In one of the most extensive assessments of the species since the 2017-18, a total 419 transects covering 4,522 km were surveyed systematically in 144 sq km grid cells. However, the survey has found that the existing GIB population currently occupies only about 16 per cent (pc) of the surveyed landscape, despite suitable grassland habitat being more widely distributed across the Thar. The GIB detections were largely concentrated in and around northern enclosures of DNP, Pokhran range and Ramdevra. “Habitat assessments revealed that the short grass and sparse shrub cover forming the primary vegetation structure suitable for GIB is widely distributed in the Thar landscape. The overall land cover composition has remained relatively stable over the last decade, but there has been a marked increase in anthropogenic features over time,” the report underlined.
It stated that power transmission lines, agricultural fencing, roads, water sources and solar power projects have expanded substantially, increasing habitat fragmentation while also raising the risk of mortality for the species. While suitable habitat for the GIB still exists over much of the landscape, the species found to be confined to relatively undisturbed patches because of these growing pressures. Trend analyses showed that GIB detections, encounter rates, abundance and occupancy were broadly stable since 2017. The birds continue to be concentrated in relatively undisturbed, flat, grassland-dominated areas that are free of energy infrastructure, particularly within and around fenced enclosures in the northern parts of Desert National Park.
The survey recorded 35 GIB flocks along with 1,568 chinkara herds and 79 desert foxes. There were also sightings of some non-native species including nilgai, feral pigs and free-ranging dogs. The landscape also supports migratory birds such as MacQueen’s bustard, cream-coloured courser, sandgrouse, larks and many prey birds including Gyps vultures, eagles and falcons. Many migratory species also use the landscape as part of the Central Asian flyway, it stated. The densities of two native mammal species, chinkara and desert fox, were estimated at 1.42 (0.13) per sq km and 0.08 (0.02) per sq km, respectively. Their populations have remained stable since the previous survey.
In contrast, non-native species showed signs of expansion as the occupancy of nilgai and feral pigs increased across the landscape. The study employed standardised vehicle-based distance sampling and occupancy modelling, consistent with earlier surveys, enabling direct comparison with previous population estimates. It analysed animal detections using line-transect distance sampling and occupancy models to estimate abundance, density and distribution.
The report attributed part of the GIB stability to habitat protection measures, including grassland restoration and fenced enclosures. However, it cautioned that these gains remain vulnerable to rapid infrastructure expansion. It further pointed out that despite its ecological significance, the region supports a relatively high human population density of around 85 people per sq km. Livelihoods are largely dependent on pastoralism, tourism and agriculture, including irrigated farming supported by the Indira Gandhi Canal. The DNP, spanning 3,162 sq km, itself contains 73 resident villages, making it a multiple-use protected area.