Rajkot: In a big boost for endangered Florican conservation, the Forestry Department has managed to hatch nine chicks in the past year by staying artificially saved eggs in Velavadar National Park.
National parks are extensive grasslands and ideal habitats for lower Florican, Badard family birds, which lay eggs here during the rainy season, especially August.
This increases the likelihood of eggs destroyed because the water is entered or eaten by some animals.
Officials said three eggs were hatched last year and six of the season and all chicks are healthy.
The lower Florican population in this country is 300-500 of which are only 100 in Gujarat.
The Ministry of Forestry collects several eggs and is artificially incubated.
A senior officer said, “We collect all information about artificial incubation, it is necessary to be ideal temperatures and days taken to hatch.
While nine chicks were born in a year, six other eggs were saved by this monsoon.
All birds at home open in the National Park .: Chicks will be stored in captivity until they are adults and they will be fed artificially.
“These chickens took three to four years to become sexually adults.
We will learn their genes and if we find a male and female partner for them, we will try to breed naturally at home.
If this is not possible, we will use assisted reproductive technology and try to produce chicks in the laboratory, “the official said the Ministry of Forestry took a signal from Houbara Bustard Conservation in the UAE to replicate a similar program for floricans lower in Gujarat.
DT Vasavada, head Forest conservators (wildlife) said, “We are now planning a special center in Velavadar for lower Florican conservation to hatch eggs that are artificially saved.
We will release the second or third generation to the wild.
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