India, July 27 -- In a first, three chicks of the endangered Great Indian Bustard have been released into a specially designed rewilding tunnel at the Godawan Conservation Centre in Jaisalmer's Ramdevra, officials said.

The state-of-the-art facility, built at '9.25 crore, aims to prepare captive-bred chicks for survival in the wild by minimising human contact and simulating natural conditions.

Forest officials described the development as a "historic milestone" in the conservation programme, as it marks a shift from captive breeding to successful reintroduction into natural habitats.

"For the first time, three chicks have been placed in the rewilding tunnel where they will learn to adapt to natural surroundings without direct human int...