Context:
A captive breeding programme for the Western Tragopan, an endangered pheasant and the state bird of Himachal Pradesh, has shown encouraging results at the Sarahan Pheasantry. While ex-situ conservation has stabilised numbers, rewilding and reintroduction efforts have slowed due to funding constraints and research gaps, raising concerns about long-term species recovery.
Key Highlights:
Species Profile
- Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus)
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Geographical Range:
- Western Himalayas (India)
- Northern Pakistan
- Estimated Population: 3,000–9,500 mature individuals
Captive Breeding Success
- Sarahan Pheasantry (Himachal Pradesh):
- World’s first successful captive breeding of Western Tragopan in 2005
- As of 2025, houses 46 tragopans
- Achieved consistent hatching and survival rates through improved husbandry
- Acts as a genetic insurance population against extinction
Reintroduction and Rewilding Efforts
- Experimental releases: Conducted during 2020–2021
- Stalled since 2023 due to:
- Budgetary limitations
- Need for ecological and behavioural research
- Challenges include:
- Identifying suitable release sites
- Predator pressure
- Adaptation of captive-bred birds to wild conditions
Threats to the Species
- Habitat fragmentation from infrastructure and tourism
- Human disturbance in breeding areas
- Climate variability affecting insect availability during breeding season
- Risk of chick starvation due to phenological mismatch
Community and Conservation Linkages
- Community-based tourism:
- Provides alternative livelihoods
- Incentivises locals to protect breeding habitats
- Reduces forest degradation
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Issue: Declining population of Western Tragopan
- Causes:
- Habitat fragmentation
- Climate-induced ecological disruption
- Human interference
- Government/Conservation Initiatives:
- Ex-situ conservation at Sarahan Pheasantry
- Experimental reintroduction programmes
- Benefits:
- Captive breeding ensures species survival buffer
- Scope for future rewilding and genetic diversity preservation
- Challenges:
- Funding shortages
- Limited post-release monitoring
- Climate change impacts
- Impact:
- Partial population stabilisation
- Need for integrated conservation strategy
Relevant Mains Points:
- Ex-situ Conservation:
- Conservation outside natural habitat
- Useful for critically threatened species
- Must complement in-situ efforts, not replace them
- In-situ Conservation:
- Protection of species within natural ecosystems
- Ensures ecological interactions and natural evolution
- Habitat Fragmentation:
- Breaks continuous habitats into isolated patches
- Leads to reduced breeding success and genetic isolation
- Keywords & Concepts:
- Captive breeding
- Rewilding
- Climate resilience in conservation
- Community-led conservation
- Way Forward:
- Resume and fund reintroduction programmes
- Strengthen habitat protection in Western Himalayas
- Integrate climate-adaptive conservation planning
- Promote community participation and eco-tourism
- Long-term scientific monitoring and predator assessment
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
- GS 3: Environment & Ecology, Biodiversity conservation
- GS 3 (Sci & Tech): Conservation biology, captive breeding techniques
- Prelims: Species status, conservation terms, protected breeding programmes