Overview
- Two captive‑bred male Great Indian Bustards were released at Sam in Desert National Park in Jaisalmer on Sunday, October 4, 2026, in an event witnessed by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav.
- The Wildlife Institute of India is supervising the operation and will carry out systematic post‑release monitoring to track the birds’ movements, behaviour, habitat use and survival.
- Officials had identified ten healthy captive‑bred birds as candidates for release but said WII’s final technical assessment will determine how many are moved into open habitat in coming days.
- Rajasthan’s Sam and Ramdevra breeding facilities currently house 97 birds, of which 57 were captive‑bred and 40 came from wild‑laid eggs, and 11 birds have been earmarked for future release.
- The programme uses purpose‑built rewilding infrastructure, including a pillar‑less aviary at Ramdevra, and operates inside a Supreme Court‑designated 14,013 sq km priority landscape with aims that include ecological restoration and local eco‑tourism benefits.