In a first, two male Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) bred in captivity were released into the wild at Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The release forms part of the Bustard Recovery Programme for this critically endangered bird, jointly run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Rajasthan Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) offers technical support, while National CAMPA provides funding. The step moves India closer to a combined captive-breeding and wild-reintroduction programme for the species.