800 Asian bustards, or beauty bustards have been set free in Tomdi, Konimekh and Uchquduq districts of the Navoi province, the press service of the State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection reported. The event was held on September 2 and 3 by the Committee, the Emirates Center for the Conservation of the Bustard Beauty (UAE) and Falcon Hunting Solutions.
This unique and rare bird is listed in both Uzbekistan’s and the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red Lists of Threatened Species.
"These birds were bred at the International Fund for Houbara Conservation in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and were brought to Uzbekistan under a partnership agreement between the Uzbek Environmental Protection Committee and Falcon Hunting Solutions. Since the center was founded in 2008, a total of over 14,000 birds have been released into the wild. The birds were set free on the initiative Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan," the Committee said.
The Asian bustard is listed in the Uzbek Red Book in 2009 as a Threatened species. It is common in the Kyzyl Kum desert. The number of birds began to decline in the 1960s.
