Jodhpur: Bringing cheers to bird
lovers and forest officials, a pair of endangered Great Indian
Bustard was sighted in a village near here this morning.
The adult Indian bustard (Ardeotis Nigriceps) couple
was spotted in Khara village, 150-km from here, Divisional
Forest Officer Ishaq Ahmed Mughal said.
It remained visible for nearly an hour, he said adding
the rare bird was seen for the first time in Jodhpur district.
Mughal said Khara village is nearly 300-km away from
the Desert National Park of Jaisalmer which is considered to
be the home of these endangered birds.
The National Park, according to the last census in May,
had close to 80 Bustards.
The Great Indian Bustard is a highly endangered ground
dwelling bird. It has disappeared from almost 90 per cent of
its habitat and its total population is estimated to be around
700.
The bird is found in sanctuaries in Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka.
-PTI
First Published: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 00:57