WATCH: World’s first AI-bred chick of endangered bird hatched

In a breakthrough for wildlife conservation, India has become the first country in the world to successfully breed the endangered Great Indian Bustard through artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

This marks a significant milestone, as India has now become the first country in the world to successfully breed the Great Indian Bustard using this method.

Six months ago, the first chick was born using the same AI-assisted technique. The latest success has reignited hope for the conservation of this critically endangered species.

According to Indian media reports, on 16 March, following AI technology insemination, a female bird named Toni laid an egg at the Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan, resulting in the birth of the eighth chick of the season.

This is the second successful artificial insemination under the Project Great Indian Bustard initiative.

The total number of Great Indian Bustards at the breeding centre has now risen to 52, a promising development in the efforts to save the species from extinction.

According to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), this technique was first implemented on the Houbara bustard by the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) in Abu Dhabi.

Scientists from India’s Wildlife Institute of India (WII) visited the IFHC, received training, and later adapted the method for use on the Great Indian Bustard.

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In an earlier attempt, a male bird named Suda, based at the Ramdeora Breeding Centre, was trained for artificial mating.

His sperm was collected and transported to Sudasari, where, on 20 September 2024, it was used to inseminate Toni.

This led to the birth of the first AI-assisted chick. Now, with another successful birth on Friday, scientists are optimistic about future conservation outcomes.

This technological breakthrough marks a major step forward in preserving one of India’s most threatened bird species.

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