Himachal Pradesh’s efforts to reintroduce the Cheer Pheasant, locally known as Chir Tittar, into the wild are showing encouraging results, with the recorded survival rate of released birds rising from 11.11 per cent in 2019-20 to 100 per cent in 2024-25. The improvement offers hope for the conservation of the vulnerable Himalayan bird, whose population has been declining amid the degradation of its natural grassland habitat.As part of the latest phase of the conservation programme, 12 Cheer Pheasants — two males, two females and eight chicks — were released into the wild during Wildlife Week-2026. The birds were soft-released from the Khadiyun Cheer Pheasant Breeding Centre in Chail, Solan district, into forest areas near Koti in Shimla district, more than 50 km away from the facility. The centre is among the few facilities in the country dedicated to the conservation breeding of the species.Records maintained by the Wildlife Department and released on the concluding day of Wildlife Week-2026 indicate a steady improvement in the survival rates of birds released under the programme. In 2019-20, three families comprising 18 birds were released, with the survival rate recorded at 11.11 per cent. In 2020-21, 11 birds belonging to three families were released, and the rate stood at 25 per cent.The survival rate rose to 42.86 per cent in 2022-23, when 14 birds from three families were released. In 2023-24, 12 birds were released in three families, taking the rate to 91.66 per cent. In 2024-25, all 10 birds released in two families were recorded as surviving, pushing the rate to 100 per cent. No birds were released in 2025-26, as the year was designated for population consolidation, a senior Wildlife Department officer said.“The natural habitat of the Cheer Pheasant is grasslands. These grasslands are being destroyed due to increasing fire incidents in the plains and forest areas. This is one of the foremost reasons behind the declining population of the species. The survival rates, therefore, need to be assessed alongside mortality, monitoring records and evidence of successful adaptation after release,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Bhat.A conservation officer associated with the breeding centre said the department uses very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and camera traps to monitor released birds and assess their adaptation to the wild. “Whenever a family of Cheer Pheasants is released, a VHF transmitter is fitted to the male heading the family. One transmitter costs around Rs 40,000. The transmitter automatically stops functioning when a bird is predated or killed. Besides these transmitters, camera traps are installed in the areas where the birds are released,” the officer said.The transmitter helps officials track the lead male and monitor the movement of the family and assess its adaptation during the crucial period after release. “The project is considered successful when the released birds mix with the wild population and adapt to the surrounding environment,” the officer said.Story continues below this adThe centre also prioritises natural incubation and parent-rearing over exclusive reliance on artificial incubation. According to the conservation officer, birds raised by their parents are considered better equipped to survive after release into the wild.During the breeding season, a female lays five to 10 eggs and incubates them for around four weeks around. Like many other bird species, both males and females take care of the chicks and teach them survival techniques.Spread over seven hectares at an altitude of around 2,250 metres, the Khadiyun Cheer Pheasant Breeding Centre is located amid the terrain adjoining the Chail military estate. It is maintained by the Himachal Pradesh Zoo Conservation and Breeding Society under conservation-breeding protocols approved by the Central Zoo Authority.The centre currently houses 58 adult Cheer Pheasants, comprising 23 males and 35 females. Classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, the bird has an estimated life expectancy of around 12 years.E-dotStory continues below this adThe release of the latest batch of Cheer Pheasant is part of a carefully monitored programme aimed at restoring the species to its natural habitat rather than merely increasing its population in captivity. The bird species is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. As per the IUCN, the Cheer Pheasant numbers globally had reduced to fewer than 2,700 birds. The centre has already released 77 birds bred in captivity and, if the survival rate is any indicator, it is a positive signal in its conservation effort.