Bhuj: In a significant breakthrough for wildlife conservation, a chick of the endangered Great Indian Bustard (locally known as Ghorad) was successfully hatched in the grasslands of the Abdasa region after nearly a decade. However, concern has mounted as the chick has not been sighted for the past four days.

There are fears that the chick may have fallen prey to a predator or died due to natural causes, though no confirmation has been made so far. Meanwhile, there is still some hope, as the nearly month-old chick had learned to make short flights around April 18.

A forest official in Kutch said the chick had begun making short flights and has not been sighted for the past few days. “The only way to locate it now is through extensive area scanning, which is underway, but the terrain is vast,” the officer said.

The egg was brought from Rajasthan to Naliya in Abdasa after being transported over a distance of around 770 km in a portable incubator. The chick hatched on March 22, and by March 26, the female bird had begun nurturing it, marking a rare and important milestone for the conservation of the critically endangered species in Gujarat and across India.

A team comprising Forest Department staff, watchers and wildlife experts had been closely monitoring the chick. Despite these efforts, its sudden disappearance has raised serious concerns.

Officials admitted they do not yet have a clear explanation for the missing chick and are currently exploring possible causes. Earlier, Kutch Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Dhiraj Mittal had expressed hope of increasing the bustard population in the region to over 20.

The successful hatching, achieved through a “jump-start” conservation technique, had raised optimism, especially as only one female bustard remained in Kutch, making natural breeding extremely difficult. The development was seen as a matter of pride for Gujarat; however, the chick’s disappearance has dealt a setback to ongoing conservation efforts. DeshGujarat