Sorsan Grassland: Great Indian Bustard Habitat in Baran

The Sorsan grassland near Baran town is one of Rajasthan's most important habitats for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), known locally as godawan or maldhok. This large ground-dwelling bird, once widespread across India's grasslands, now survives only in small populations in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Sorsan area's mix of scrub and open grassland supports a small resident population. Community-level conservation involving local farmers has been promoted through the Nature Conservation Foundation's bustard recovery programme, with compensation schemes for farmers who maintain grassland on their lands without cultivation. Traditional pastoralism maintained these open grasslands; sedentarisation and cultivation conversion have reduced habitat. The Sorsan community conserved area, managed jointly by villagers and forest department, represents an innovative model of grassland conservation.