Release
Preparing and releasing birds into the wild through translocation programs, population reinforcement, and post-release monitoring
Our conservation efforts focus on two main approaches: releasing Houbara Bustards into the wild and reducing threats to the species wild populations.
Direct conservation actions involve the release of birds to restore and sustain populations in their natural habitats. While indirect conservation focuses on reducing pressures such as poaching and encouraging falconers to use captive-bred birds instead of wild ones.
What we do
We are dedicated to ensuring the survival and long-term stability of Houbara populations, contributing to the preservation of this iconic species. Over the years, we have achieved remarkable results:
For the Asian Houbara, 140,000 birds have been released into the wild since the beginning of the projects, with an additional 95,000 supporting conservation efforts indirectly. These cumulative efforts span over 12 countries, covering an intervention area of 700,000 km².
For the North African Houbara, 170,000 birds have been released directly and 50,000 contributing indirectly to conservation. These actions, taking place over many years, have been realized across 5 countries, covering nearly 130,000 km².
To ensure the success of these releases, long-term monitoring has been a fundament of our work. With more than 15,000 tracking devices deployed across 28 countries and over 30 million data points collected, we have gained valuable insights into species behavior and needs. This includes understanding life cycles, migration patterns, habitat use, breeding success, and survival rates.
Our release methods are adapted to different environments and desert conditions, ensuring birds welfare. The entire process is supported by comprehensive logistics, including CITES compliance, veterinary care, reliable feed supply, and trained teams dedicated to bird handling and release.
