Barmer/Jaisalmer, July 28 -- The state forest department has successfully shifted three captive-bred Great Indian Bustard chicks to a specially designed rewilding tunnel in Jaisalmer, officials said on Monday. They said the move signals the beginning of a crucial new phase in the conservation programme, where the birds will be trained to survive independently in the harsh desert ecosystem before being released into the wild. Jaisalmer deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) Ashok Singh said the three chicks are expected to remain in the rewilding enclosure for nearly four months. During this period, experts will continuously evaluate their physical development, behavioural responses and ability to forage independently. Once the birds demonstrate that they can survive without human assistance and respond appropriately to natural conditions, they will be released in phases into the open landscapes of the Desert National Park, the species' last remaining stronghold in India. Officials said the chicks were bred at the Great Indian Bustard Conservation Breeding Centre and have now been moved to the newly developed rewilding enclosure at Ramdevra. Unlike the breeding centre, where the birds are raised under intensive human care and breeding is supported through artificial insemination, the rewilding tunnel has been designed to minimise human interaction and encourage the development of natural instincts. Officials said the birds will learn to forage independently by searching for insects, grasshoppers and other naturally available food instead of relying on human feeding. They will also become accustomed to the extreme temperatures, arid climate and strong desert winds. Although direct human contact will be kept to a minimum, wildlife experts will closely monitor the birds through CCTV surveillance, said officlals, adding that their health, growth, feeding behaviour, movement patterns and responses to natural stimuli will be regularly assessed to determine whether they are developing the survival skills needed for life in the wild. The Great Indian Bustard, Rajasthan's State Bird, has suffered one of the steepest population declines among the world's large grassland birds. Habitat degradation, collisions with overhead power lines, predation and increasing human disturbance have pushed the species to the brink of extinction. Forest department data states that 130 GIBs are currently present in the forests of Jaisalmer, while 87 birds are housed at the advanced breeding centre....