Wildlife

UK Great Bustard Reintroduction: Steppe Welfare

The great bustard was extinct in the UK for 170 years before reintroduction began in 2004, with ongoing welfare and conservation challenges for this remarkable bird.

Key Facts

Great bustards require extensive open grassland habitat with minimal human disturbance
Reintroduction to Salisbury Plain has established a small breeding population from Russian source birds
Road mortality and power line collisions are significant welfare threats to the growing population
The Great Bustard Group manages the population with supplementary feeding and health monitoring

Welfare Considerations

Individual great bustard welfare depends on access to undisturbed open grassland habitat, appropriate food resources, and freedom from collision hazards. The reintroduction programme is a remarkable conservation achievement that continues to require intensive management support.

What You Can Do

Support the Great Bustard Group's conservation and monitoring work
Respect access restrictions around great bustard territories on Salisbury Plain
Advocate for power line undergrounding and road collision mitigation measures near great bustard habitat