Conservation efforts for the Asian houbara bustard are looking optimistic after an Abu Dhabi programme donated 1,065 birds to Qatar.
The Rawdat Al Faras Houbara Breeding Centre recently received the flock from the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) in order to boost its captive population.
“International cooperation is a vital component of Abu Dhabi’s strategy for the houbara and we are very happy to share our knowledge with partners across the range of the bird,” said Mohamed Al Bowardi, deputy chairman of the IFHC board. “I want to express my thanks to the Government and people of Qatar in helping us spread the effort to conserve the Houbara.”
The significant number adds to the previous 334 bustards donated in March 2013. The Qatari breeding centre intends to breed from the flock, increase the captive population and eventually release birds into the wild.
The gesture is a significant step in HH President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s efforts to cement a sustainable wild population of the houbara across the range of its natural habitat.
Houbara bustards are typically found in the UAE, North Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, China and the Canary Islands. In 2013, IFHC provided captive-bred houbaras to Kuwait and Yemen in an attempt to restore wild populations that are threatened by poaching, unregulated hunting and habitat degradation.
