UPSC Articles
SC intervenes for Great Indian Bustard
Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Biodiversity; Environment
In news
- The Supreme Court intervened on behalf of the Great Indian Bustards over the birds falling dead after colliding with power lines running through their natural habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Key takeaways
- A Bench led by Chief Justice of India will examine on a priority basis whether overhead power cables can be replaced with underground ones to save the bird.
- The court also noted that an alternative mechanism — to install flight bird divertors — to guide the birds away from the power lines would be expensive.
Important value additions
Great Indian Bustard
- Scientific Name: Ardeotis nigriceps.
- Physical description: Black crown on the forehead contrasting with the pale neck and head.
- They feed on grass seeds, insects like grasshoppers and beetles, and sometimes even small rodents and reptiles.
- Distribution: India, effectively the only home of the bustards, now harbours less than 150 individuals in five States.
- Today, its population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small population also occur in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- It is the State bird of Rajasthan.
- Conservation status: Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972; (2) Appendix I of CITES; (3) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
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