A Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chick born under Gujarat's 'Jump Start' conservation project at Naliya in Kutch district has completed its first 40 days of life — a threshold wildlife experts consider the most critical and vulnerable window in the bird's early survival. The chick hatched on 21 May under the second phase of the project, marking a significant milestone in efforts to pull back one of the world's most threatened bird species from the brink.

Why the First 40 Days Matter

Wildlife experts describe the initial 40 days of a GIB chick's life as extraordinarily fragile, with mortality risk highest in this window due to environmental stress, predation, and the complexity of early-stage biological development. Crossing this threshold is considered a meaningful indicator of longer-term survival prospects.

The Forest Department confirmed that the chick at Naliya is under round-the-clock monitoring by a dedicated team of officials and wildlife scientists, with care administered under continuous scientific oversight.

How the Jump Start Project Works

The 'Jump Start' project is a technically demanding conservation programme that involves protecting GIB eggs within their natural habitat before transferring the chicks to a dedicated facility, where they are reared through a foster-mothering programme. Officials described the process as requiring uninterrupted scientific intervention during the early stages of a chick's life.

This is the second phase of the initiative, signalling that the programme has moved beyond pilot status and is being scaled with institutional backing from the Gujarat Forest Department.

What the Government Said

State Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia called the development a moment of pride for the state. 'This is a matter of immense joy and pride for Gujarat. The success of this special campaign undertaken for the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard is the result of the relentless hard work and dedication of our scientists, wildlife enthusiasts and Forest Department officials. The first 40 days of a chick's life are extremely delicate, and crossing this important milestone brings new hope for the bird's bright future,' he said.

Modhwadia credited the achievement to the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and framed it within a broader ecological argument. 'Protecting such endangered species is essential to maintaining the balance between humanity and nature. This achievement will mark a new milestone in India's journey towards biodiversity conservation,' he added.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav also acknowledged the milestone, sharing photographs and a video of the chick on social media platform X.

The Larger Conservation Crisis

The Great Indian Bustard has seen a sharp population decline over recent decades, driven primarily by habitat loss, power line collisions, and agricultural encroachment on its grassland range. Once found across much of the Indian subcontinent, the species is now largely confined to Rajasthan and pockets of Gujarat, with the global population estimated at fewer than 150 individuals, according to conservation assessments.

Notably, the Supreme Court of India has previously intervened on GIB conservation, directing measures around power line undergrounding in critical habitats — underscoring the species' precarious status at the national level.

What Comes Next

The chick's continued progress will be closely tracked by the Forest Department and associated wildlife scientists. Conservationists say that if the bird successfully transitions beyond the juvenile stage, it could contribute meaningfully to captive-breeding and eventual wild-release efforts. The success of the 'Jump Start' second phase may also inform whether the programme is expanded to other GIB habitats in Rajasthan, where the bulk of the remaining population survives.