Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The National Center for Wildlife (NWC) granted the first official permit for breeding houbara bustard birds in Saudi Arabia to one of the centers specialized in this field. It is the first permit of its kind so far, with a validity period extending to one year, subject to renewal. The project aims to produce 15,000 houbara birds by the year 2026.

With this initiative, NWC aims to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s need for breeding of houbara bustards with the participation of private sector institutions and contributing directly to providing solutions to increase their numbers in a scientific and systematic manner. This contributes positively to raising the level of environmental balance while improving biodiversity in the Kingdom. It is expected that the coming period will witness the granting of more similar licenses.

Meanwhile, the center that obtained the license stated that it will work in accordance with scientific controls and by specialized Saudi competencies with high-quality standards. It aims to produce 15000 houbara birds by the year 2026, especially since it possesses extensive experience in this field. The project will be implemented on an area covering 500,000 square meters, which provides a more ideal environment for the release of captive-bred houbara into protected areas.

At the same time, it is concerned with preparing Houbara birds even after their release to ensure the quality of the product and to maintain its conformity with the requirements set by the NWC. It is noteworthy that the National Center for Wildlife works to protect, develop and resettle ecosystems and biodiversity, in addition to treating risks related to wildlife.