The Great Indian Bustard | UPSC |

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The Great Indian Bustard | UPSC | Why In The News ?

Green energy projects threaten the last refuges of the endangered great Indian bustard
The Great Indian Bustard | UPSC |

About Great Indian Bustard:

  • Great Indian bustards are tall birds with long legs and a long neck; the tallest individuals may stand up to 1.2 metres (4 feet) high.
  • It is one of the heaviest flying birds (weighing up to 15kgs). 
  • They inhabit dry grasslands and scrublands on the Indian subcontinent.
  • It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent. 
  • Great Indian bustards are omnivores. 
  • They prey on various arthropods, worms, small mammals, and small reptiles.
  • Both the male and female are roughly the same size, with the largest individuals weighing 15 kg (33 pounds).
  • Males and females are distinguished by the colour of their feathers.

Distribution :

It is found in The Following Areas

  • Rajasthan (Desert National park)
  • Gujarat
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Karnataka
  • Andhra Pradesh in India and parts of Pakistan.

Conservation Status

  • IUCN Red List: It is a Critically Endangered species with less than 150 birds left in the wild.
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972: Schedule I

What are Firefly bird diverters?

  • These are flaps installed on power lines, a reason for many deaths among GIB. 
  • They work as reflectors for bird species like the GIB. 
  • Birds can spot them from a distance of about 50 meters and change their path of flight to avoid collision with power lines
Read Also : Species In News 

Source : The Hindu 

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