Restoration of houbara bustard populations in Saudi Arabia: developments and future directions

Abstract

The National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) was established in 1986 to oversee all wildlife conservation programmes in Saudi Arabia. One of the first species-specific programmes, started in the same year, was a houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii captive-breeding project at the National Wildlife Research Center. With the production in 1992 of a selfsustaining captive houbara flock and the provision of an annual surplus of houbara chicks, attention has shifted to the release of captive-bred houbara into protected areas. Critical review of the houbara programme in 1993 emphasized the need for field studies, public-awareness programmes and international collaboration in addition to captive-rearing and release.