BAHAWALPUR: As many as 500 houbara bustards were released in Cholistan -- 200 in Bahawalpur and 300 in Rahim Yar Khan -- for breeding and rehabilitation purposes on Thursday.

The sought-after birds bred in captivity and released at the Sheikh Muhammad Bin Deer Breeding and Houbara Research Centre at Lal Sohanra National Park, about 35kms from here, were jointly released by International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC), Abu Dhabi, Punjab wildlife department and Houbara Foundation (International) Pakistan.

The houbara bustards were released here by Bahawalpur Commissioner Saqib Zafar, International Fund for Houbara Conservation Director General Muhammad Saleh Hussain Al-Baidani, acting head of public relations department of International Fund for Houbara Foundation, Pakistan Ali Mubarak Muhammad Al-Shamsi, Houbara Foundation International (Pakistan) president Brig Mukhtar Ahmed and others.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guests stressed the need for breeding and conservation of the bird specie. They welcomed the measures taken by Houbura Foundation for breeding of the specie in natural habitat.

Official sources, quoting Houbara Foundation management, said some Gulf countries have promised to donate more birds and deers for Lal Sohanra National Park.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had approved a Rs250 million grant for Houbara Bustard Endowment Fund to be utilised for the rehabilitation centre and breeding of the rare bird in Cholistan.

More birds imported from Abu Dhabi would be released in the wild in Bahawalpur area under a contract signed by the authorities in Pakistan and the Gulf state, the sources said.

Local wildlife officials claimed their department would ensure protection of the released birds. They said houbara bustards would be released at the Lal Sohanra National Park every year.

The officials denied that the contract to release the birds signed with Abu Dhabi had anything to do with houbara hunting by members of Gulf royalty in certain parts of Pakistan.

Thousands of houbara bustards migrate from Central Asia to Pakistan every winter and are favourite with local as well as foreign hunters for their meat.

RY Khan correspondent adds: International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC), Abu Dhabi, has released 1,000 captive-bred houbara bustards in Pakistan this year, says a press release issued by Rahim Yar Khan Public Relations Deputy Director Rahim Yar Khan issued on Thursday.

It says during the past years, the IFHC released hundreds of birds in Pakistan. The larges flock released in March 2015 comprised 600 houbara bustards, while 200 others were freed on Feb 2016.

These birds are of local bloodline and were released to reinforce Pakistan’s current population of the specie, it adds.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2017