With fewer than 150 left in nature, this marks the first real test: Can birds raised in captivity survive, find food, avoid power lines, and even breed; without human help? The answer could decide whether this species survives or vanishes forever. The birds spent months in a ₹9.25 crore rewilding tunnel; learning to hunt insects, sense weather, and spot predators. Now, scientists are tracking them like never before. If they succeed, future releases may follow; not just in Rajasthan, but in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. But here’s the catch: conservation isn’t just about releasing birds. It’s about fixing the grasslands they need to live; and burying those deadly power lines. The Supreme Court already tried. But rules got relaxed. Now, survival depends on whether we can balance energy growth with nature’s last whisper.