KARACHI, Dec 19: As winter sets in, hundreds of thousands of birds leave their nests in the coldest central Asian regions and fly to Pakistan and its neighbouring regions in search of warmer climate to avoid harsh weather conditions.

They move back to their native lands for breeding, once the weather turns favourable for them.

Houbara Bustards also migrate to this region annually to escape harsh weather in Central Asia.

They reside in the east of the Aral Sea and start arriving in the arid zone of NWFP and Balochistan during October.

However, their journey toward southern Punjab and Sindh starts with the onset

of chill in Balochistan. They usually spend November, December and January in the desert of southern Punjab and Sindh.

Though they are protected under the wildlife protection laws in Pakistan, they are trapped, netted and hunted in large numbers to be smuggled to the Gulf states through both sea and air routes.

The hunting sport turns into massacre when radar and radio- equipped scouts ridding high-tech desert range vehicles are let lose to spot and net the bird. Frightened and exhausted Houbara has to fight healthy falcons for survival.

Illegal hunters pay large amounts of money and precious gifts to the influentials of the areas.

According to wildlife experts, the Houbara plays a vital role in the desert eco-system. It is an indicator of the health of the desert. If it halts coming down to Pakistan or its number decreases, it will affect all other forms of wildlife and disturb the ecological balance of the area.— PPI