Mumbai, April 11 : The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) on Tuesday lauded the Rajasthan government for declaring a 931-hectares of lush grassland as a 'Lesser Florican Conservation Reserve', in Ajmer district yesterday. The smallest of the bustard family, the Lesser Florican is renowned for its spectacular leaping breeding display, but currently faces severe threats and stands on the verge of extinction. The Lesser Florican is found only in India and as per current estimates barely 700 mature birds are now left, and the BNHS is actively working for the conservation of these feathered creatures. "The Lesser Florican is the smallest bird of the bustard family which was formerly a common game bird of Indian grasslands. But now its global population is 250-300 males confined in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, with an IUCN status of CR (Critically Endangered)," said Kishor Rithe, Hon. BNHS Secretary. The Ajmer landscape of Rajasthan is one of the last remaining breeding grounds where it is surviving in a human-dominated landscape, he added. The BNHS started working with the Rajasthan Forest Department on its conservation project in 2017, and their scientific teams collected data regarding its status, distribution, behavior, habitat, etc. in the desert state with the help of local communities. "We identified 26 sites (73 locations) spread across 50 villages in the Ajmer district and recorded many important observations on its strong site fidelity; its movements in the grasslands and croplands before settling down in its breeding site," said scientist Dr Sujit Narwade, BNHS Assistant Director, project head working in Rajasthan and other parts of India. The data and observations recorded by BNHS teams are now helping Rajasthan Forest Department to take policy decisions to save this species from extinction. Among these are the changes from traditional crops like Jowar, Moong, and Urad growing up to a height of 50-100 cm to irrigated cash crops and the use of heavy machines and music systems on tractors that affect the birds in this landscape,said Narwade. An increase in free-ranging dogs, land use changes, chemical sprays, uncontrolled tourism, and unavailability of grasslands was recorded as threats to be addressed immediately, but after the Rajasthan Government's notification, the conservation efforts shall be expedited, said Rithe. Lesser Floricans mainly breed in the North-west part of India in monsoon and then fly to spend winters in the Deccan plateau, said the BNHS experts. Hence the participation of locals is essential for the survival of the species which requires mosaics of the grasslands and crop fields plus inter-state and inter-departmental coordination, to save the Lesser Floricans from being snuffed out forever. /IANS