Barmer, April 11 -- Three out of 11 Great Indian Bustard chicks recorded this season in Rajasthan's Desert National Park were born through natural mating and not the usual "human-assisted" breeding efforts, forest officials said.

Forest officials said that the birds reproducing on their own is a "sign of reduced stress" in captivity and "better adaptation."

Earlier, efforts relied heavily on eggs collected from the wild. Now, however, birds at conservation centres in Ramdevra and Sudasari are forming pairs and breeding independently. Experts believe this milestone could play a crucial role in stabilising the species' population in the coming years.

The Bustard Recovery Programme, launched in 2016, is a joint initiative of the Governmen...