Save this Great Bird of the Indian desert; Only 160 Remain in the Wild

Up to 18,000 birds a month fall victim to the power lines and wind turbines in the Thar desert in Rajasthan. Some of the bird species are threatened, but none more so than the great Indian bustard.

Despite having an intimidating stature - the bird can stand up to 3.3 feet tall and weigh up to 32 lbs - the extremely rare species is in a very delicate situation. With around 160 left in the wild, conservationists have begun to worry that the expanding network of power lines and wind turbines will spell the end of this ostrich-like bird in the wild.

Currently, the majority of the birds - around 140 - live within the "hot zone" the area of the in Rajasthan that is crisscrossed with more than kilometers of cable. A recent study has shown that at least 5 birds are killed per month per cable leading to the jaw-dropping figure of nearly 220,000 birds dying a year. At least three of those that died were bustards in 2017.

With such low numbers any dent in the population could spell catastrophe and push a bird, that's already close to extinction, to the point of no return. That's why it is so important for the government to take mitigation measures to help stop the bird from disappearing.

Currently, conservationists and even the forest department have recommended such measures but nothing has actually been done. There is no time to waste.

Please call on the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd and the Forest Department to take action as soon as possible and work install bird diverters now. We must save the remaining 140 great Indian bustards of the Thar desert. Sign the petition today.