Eleven Asian Houbara rescued in January after a failed smuggling attempt on the UAE’s border with Oman have been successfully released back into the wild by the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, IFHC
ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2019) Eleven Asian Houbara rescued in January after a failed smuggling attempt on the UAE’s border with Oman have been successfully released back into the wild by the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, IFHC.
Following extensive medical examinations to assess potential contagious diseases and 8 weeks of rehabilitation at IFHC quarantine in Abu Dhabi, the houbara were released in two groups in the Cholistan Desert in Pakistan on 22nd March. All 11 birds have been fitted with GPS trackers to monitor their movement.
The first group of five female Asian Houbara were released in Rahimyar approximately 120 kilometres from the country’s eastern border with India, while a second group comprising five females and a single male were released approximately 40 kilometres south of the city of Khanpur. Three weeks since their release, the bustards’ GPS trackers indicate all 11 houbara are alive and well after rejoining the species’ annual migratory route north.
"Thanks to the swift action of UAE Customs and the expert rehabilitation work of our scientific team, the 11 Asian Houbara have been saved and released with no impact on the UAE’s delicate ecosystem," said Majid Ali Al Mansouri, IFHC’s Managing Director.
"The release location in Pakistan was handpicked to give the bustards the best chance of rejoining their migratory route and we thank our conservation partners in Pakistan for their fast response and professionalism in helping the Fund release the rescued bustards."
With smuggled houbara typically suffering tremendous stress from capture and illicit transportation, IFHC data show that only one in 10 wild houbara survives being smuggled across the UAE border. It is also common for smuggled bustards to carry diseases which can have serious sanitary and health implications to falcons that hunt them and fauna in the wider eco-system.
As part of IFHC’s ongoing education efforts with the UAE and wider GCC falconry community, the Fund is engaging falconers to highlight the illegal trade’s role in the historic decline of houbara populations.
Al Mansouri revealed IFHC will use the rescued 11 Asian Houbara as a case study to educate falconers on the dangers that illegally sourced houbara pose to traditional Arabian falconry.
In addition to sanitary and health risks to falcons, fauna and the wider eco-system, smuggling houbara also carries serious legal ramifications. Under UAE Law No. 11/2002, which relates to the smuggling of endangered animals, convicted smugglers face a potential fine of AED20,000 to 50,000, and imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months.
