A chapter “Sky Dance” in Aldo Leopold’s famous book A Sand County Almanac offers a classic portrait of the #NorthAmerican Woodcock, known for its early-morning courtship rituals. Echoing this are the legendary displays of India’s #LesserFlorican—a masterclass in evolutionary adaptation. 🌾✨ While the Florican explodes in vertical leaps above monsoon #grasslands, the #Woodcock performs a high-altitude “Sky Dance” with musical wing feathers. Both are spectacular reminders to protect these specialized habitats. #WildlifePhotography #Nature #BirdsOfIndia #Conservation #BirdWatching AI created image

#AllIsWell. I wish. Actually, it isn't. Reports from the ground say otherwise. Locally #extinct in former ranges (#Maharashtra #MadhyaPradesh & almost so in #Gujarat (the odd chick or bird still makes the species functionally extinct). Entire habitats, even #sanctuaries shrunk, wiped out giving way to #renewables & other 'development' When did we last survey the #GreatIndianBustard? We have been parroting 100 birds for over 20 yrs? What do the nos say now? I fear it will reveal a chock. While we are at it, the other bird almost exterminated is the #LesserFlorican. #Birds #wildlife #conservation

కప్పలాంటి శబ్దం చేస్తూ, చెంగున ఎగిరే తణమోర్ పక్షి గురించి మీకు తెలుసా? ఈ అరుదైన పక్షి ఉనికి ఇప్పుడు ప్రమాదంలో పడింది. #birds #lesserflorican #nature

The critically endangered lesser florican is on the verge of extinction. It is estimated that only 150 to 200 birds remain in the world. Males of the species are best known for their remarkable breeding display. During the monsoon, they leap vertically from within tall grasses—dozens, sometimes hundreds of times a day. These jumps, which scientists believe serve both to attract females and assert territory, are spectacular, if brief. The leaps of the floricans are becoming fewer with each passing year. But if we act now through awareness, community involvement, and policy reform, there’s still time to keep this monsoon dance alive. The lesser florican is a symbol of everything fragile about our ecosystems, says Preeti Swaminathan. Learn more here: bit.ly/4qGbN7b Photos by Dhritiman Mukherjee #LesserFlorican #CriticallyEndangered #BreedingDisplay #Rajasthan #ShokhaliyaVillage #RoundglassSustain

A tragedy of our times. On our watch. This beauty of a #bird #LesserFlorican knocking on deaths door. Another #bustard #species staring at #extinction. the key threat is considering #grasslands as wastelands and the rapid, massive loss of habitat #SixthExtinction #wildlife @Jairam_Ramesh @BirdLife_News @Natures_Voice

Endangered but not forgotten! Population assessments of #GreatIndianBustard and #LesserFlorican will track their numbers and habitat, as conservation efforts try to recover the icons of Indian's grasslands #Wildlifeweek #ProjectGIB #NationalCAMPA @moefcc @wii_india @ForestRajasthan @BustardProgram @GobindsagarBha1 @SutirthaDutta82

#WildlifeWeek2025 celebrations in #Ajmer took off at the Lesser Florican conservation Breeding centre in Arwar. Over 100 children from local schools, teachers, Sarpanch and wildlife enthusiasts from Shokaliya, Sarana and Arwar villages attended the event. @bustardprogram @ForestRajasthan sensitized the gathering on the declining status of #LesserFlorican, ongoing conservation efforts, and role of the community in conservation. Students participated in wildlife quiz and painting competitions, and teachers experienced the techniques of conservation breeding and grassland restoration @moefcc @wii_india @houbarafund #LesserFlorican #ProjectGIB #NationalCAMPA

Cleanliness drive across Conservation Breeding Centres of @bustardprogram in #Rajasthan to mark #Swachhatahiseva2025. These Centers maintain a clean, safe and healthy environment for the Critically Endangered #GIB and #Lesserflorican @moefcc @ForestRajasthan @wii_india #Swachhbharatabhiyan #ConservationInAction #SaveTheGIB #Wildlifeweek2025

In a rare and exciting discovery, a critically endangered lesser florican was spotted for the first time in Ratnagiri district by birder Prasad Gokhale on May 26. Wildlife enthusiast Nikhita Shinde and her team later observed the bird for hours, noting its feeding behaviour near laterite plateau lakes. This sighting highlights Ratnagiri’s rich biodiversity. The lesser florican, India’s smallest bustard, is elusive and endangered, with shrinking habitats. Experts believe unusual rainfall may have influenced this rare appearance. By: @ranjeetnature PC: Nikhita Shinde #lesserflorican #ratnagiri #bird #nature mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-ne…

The #Hesaraghatta #grasslands now declared a #conservation reserve by Karnataka. These grasslands host rich biodiversity. The critically endangered #LesserFlorican was spotted here. Huge milestone for #grassland conservation hindustantimes.com/india-new…

Will #LesserFlorican find a safe haven in #Maharashtra? Only if we ensure safe habitat free of all threats including overhead powerlines, free-ranging dogs & habitat loss. India needs a grassland policy and recognise grasslands as ecosystem & not as wastelands!

#Lesserflorican female tagged by @dcfsasangir & @TCF_wildlife in Sep2020 died in #Chandrapur #Maharashtra on her return migration from Telangana due to collision with 33kv #powerline Read the article @IUCNssc @MinOfPower @moefcc @DeveshGadhvi @BittuSahgal @BNHSIndia @MahaForest

Introducing the leaping Lesser Florican! 🤩 The smallest member of the bustard family, the Lesser Florican is renowned for its spectacular mating displays. Jumping up to 6 feet into the air, males in their striking black-and-white plumage make themselves highly visible in open grasslands. 🌾 Unfortunately, widespread habitat loss in South Asia has led to rapid declines of this Critically Endangered species. Love birds like the Lesser Florican? Don’t miss your chance to join the fun—this weekend is your final opportunity to download and play Birdle, our bird-themed guessing game! 🎮✨ © Yash Earth / Shutterstock © Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj #LesserFlorican #BirdConservation #WildlifeProtection #Birdle #SaveOurBirds #Biodiversity

#LesserFlorican numbers decline sets off alarm bells. Only five males of this smallest member of the bustard family recorded in their traditional breeding zone.

@ForestRajasthan and @bustardprogram showcased their joint conservation initiatives for the Critically Endangered #GreatIndianBustard and #LesserFlorican at the 75th State-level Forest Festival in Gadota (Jaipur), organised by #RajasthanForestDepartment and inaugurated by Hon'ble CM @bjpbhajanlal #saveGIB #savegrasslands #BustardRecoveryProgram #WII #NationalCAMPA @moefcc @wii_india @houbarafund @vrtiwari1 @SutirthaDutta82

30 seconds of Lesser Florican jumping, had a great day witnessing this wonderful display. 📍 Ajmer 04/August/2024 #IndiAves #LesserFlorican #Ajmer #MonsoonBirding #birds #birdwatching #birdsofrajasthan #birding @ForestRajasthan

Speaking on #India's #Wildlife Crisis at the @IIC_Delhi in a lecture chaired by #PrakritiSrivastava #IndianForestService (retd). Species like the #LesserFlorican and #GreatIndianBustard pushed to #extinction in our watch; the rapid dissemination of #natural wild habitats; diverting destructing our #ProtectedAreas for #development and the collapse of our protectionist #legal, #policy framework . And how YOU can make a difference. #Delhi , be there!

hi, i am looking for a hi-rez image of the Indian #wolf in its habitat and the #LesserFlorican #caracal (Indian) also-hi rez pic depicting wildlife killed in a road accident and human- #leopard conflict -i i can get this one-grateful-this is in #Guwahati (dont know the photographer) @SanctuaryAsia it was your cover please reply, dm or email me many thanks 🙏 @KalyanVarma @dhritimanimages

Importantly, open forest, scrub land, wasteland and catchment areas are distinct, vibrant ecosystems-include #grasslands #aridlands, #scrubforests-all of which host unique and #endemic to the Indian subcontinent including the critically #endangered #GreatIndianBustard, #LesserFlorican, #wolves, #blackbucks etc., Afforesting these will kill them, alter their #ecological irrevocably. Such Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) serve as effective #carbonsinks. Just #grasslands have 15-20% of the world’s #carbon is tied up in their #soil! As for the ministry’s beloved #plantations –these r poor at sequestering carbon & in other ecosystem services And hey, didn’t the #government say it was flying those poor #cheetahs into India as messiahs to Save Our #Grasslands? So, what #grasslands will they save now, if it is now treed? And where will these #cheetahs run? 5/9

#FromTheArchives #Wildlife enthusiast Suvayu Paul shares a #travel #guide so you get front-row seats to witness the wilderness of #Shokaliya and its many denizens. 📷 #LesserFlorican natureinfocus.in/travel/guid…