India-Pakistan tensions: Flight to safety for Great Indian Bustard babies from border

JAIPUR: As border tensions rippled into wildlife zones, conservationists raced to shield newborn Great Indian Bustard babies from warzone - and keep fragile recovery efforts alive. Nine chicks were relocated from a key conservation site in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district following drone incursions and artillery fire from Pakistan.

Sensitive to loud sounds and shockwaves, bustards are particularly vulnerable during early stages of life.

Ramdevra Conservation Centre, located just a few km from Indo-Pak border, hosts the country's sole bustard recovery programme. Following shelling on May 10, scientists and forest officials moved nine of the 18 chicks born this year to a safer facility in Arwar village of Ajmer district - nearly 500km east. "The chicks, aged between five and 28 days, were transported in soft-suspension vehicles fitted with padded compartments and sand bedding to reduce stress during the 10-hour journey," said Sutirtha Dutta, senior scientist at Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Several of the chicks were hatched through artificial incubation - an effort to revive one of India's most endangered bird species, with fewer than 130 believed to remain in the wild.

"The relocation was carried out successfully. The chicks are healthy and have acclimatised well," said Arijit Banerjee, head of Rajasthan Forest Service, also known as Forest Force.