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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

P. J. Seddon
Affiliation:
National Wildlife Research Center, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, PO Box 1086, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
M. Saint Jalme
Affiliation:
National Wildlife Research Center, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, PO Box 1086, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Y. van Heezik
Affiliation:
National Wildlife Research Center, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, PO Box 1086, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
P. Paillat
Affiliation:
National Wildlife Research Center, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, PO Box 1086, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
P. Gaucher
Affiliation:
National Wildlife Research Center, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, PO Box 1086, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
O. Combreau
Affiliation:
National Wildlife Research Center, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, PO Box 1086, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
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Abstract

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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.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 1995

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