DUBAI, 4th October, 2023 (WAM) — The International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) has collaborated with the “Uvs Nuur Basin” Biosphere Reserve in the Republic of Tuva, Russia, to release several Asian houbara bustards in the northernmost boundary of the species’ global distribution range. Forty-eight young Asian houbaras, bred at the Sheikh Khalifa Houbara Breeding Centre in Kazakhstan, a centre under IFHC, were released in Uvs Nuur Basin. These bustards belong to the genetic lineage of Eastern Kazakhstan birds, which migrate over long distances. Scientific studies have shown they are the closest to the population that used to inhabit the Basin Lake area between Tuva and Mongolia. To help release the birds, the IFHC worked closely with the UAE embassy in Russia, which was crucial in addressing logistical challenges, coordinating communication, and ensuring all the requirements were met. The IFHC also praised the efforts of Russia’s federal and national authorities and the country’s scientists and ma
nagement of “Uvs Nuur Basin” Biosphere Reserve. Ahead of the release of the bustards, the young birds were housed in spacious aviaries with minimal human interaction in Sheikh Khalifa Houbara Breeding Centre Kazakhstan (SKHBC-KZ). Their diet consisted of limited water and live food. Additionally, as part of the release site selection, scientists explored several appropriate locations in the lake’s northern region after conducting field surveys between 2019 and 2022. Of the 48 bustards, 30 birds have been tagged with GSM – GPS tracking devices to monitor their survival rates, dispersion, potential nesting, and autumn migration remotely. The data collected will be shared with the “All-Russian Research Institute for Environmental Protection” and reserve officials. They will explore the data for further research to help them plan future release projects and understand the sustainable management strategies for successfully releasing houbara in the region. The Republic of Tuva is situated between the Russian Siberi
an region to the south and Mongolia to the north, with Kyzyl as its capital city. The reserve, contiguous with Mongolia’s border, is part of Tuva. The reserve encompasses the northernmost section of the global range of the houbara, a species classified as endangered in Russia. Since 2019, no bustards have been spotted in any field surveys conducted, suggesting the possibility of species’ extinction in the wild within this area. The last spotted bustard in that region was in 2005. The release of the bustards reaffirms the importance of IFHC’s partnership with the reserve. This partnership aims to jointly undertake the study, restoration, and conservation efforts for Asian houbara and the Great Bustard. The fund’s experts collaborate with their Russian counterparts in field studies and research to develop strategies for preserving the Asian houbara and the Great Bustard. The Basin is home to a wide array of ecosystems for nesting the Asian houbara and the Great Bustard, another endangered species that still exi
sts in the area in limited numbers. The reserve places significant focus on the growth, protection, and recovery of the Asian houbara and the Great Bustard through international collaboration efforts. The reserve has collaborated with neighbouring nature reserves in Mongolia to undertake scientific research to protect the natural landscapes and biological diversity within the Basin ecosystems.
Source: Emirates News Agency