Last updated: October 2026 · Method: built from published site information and recurring traveller reports; figures approximate — verify on site.
📄 Image slot — a great indian bustard walking across open grassland.
The godawan — the great Indian bustard ; is Rajasthan’s state bird and one of the world’s most endangered large birds: the 2024 survey confirmed fewer than 150 in the wild (roughly 173 more including the captive-breeding flock), with the Desert National Park as their last stronghold.
The crisis and the response
- The causes: habitat loss to farming and power lines ; bustards collide with transmission wires they cannot see.
- The efforts: a captive-breeding programme at Sam, power-line rerouting and markering, and habitat protection ; documented in national programme reports.
- The traveller’s part: follow the forest-department rules, keep distance, and never share locations that stress the birds.
Honest framing: sightings are rare by definition ; the birding guide sets realistic expectations.