The houbara bustard

Pakistan is a land of many splendours, blessed with a wide variety of terrain descending from the lofty mountains in the north to the fertile plains of Punjab, rivers, lakes, forests and the warm waters of the Arabian Sea in the south. With various ecological zones, Pakistan is rich in terms of biodiversity receiving a large number of migratory guest birds from abroad every year. The birds spend winters in different wetlands and deserts of Pakistan, almost throughout the country, and return to their native habitats after the winters. Among them is the Houbara bustard (Chlamydotisundulatamacqueenii).

The houbara is a regular winter visitor which migrates from its breeding grounds in the Central Asian states to wintering habitats in Pakistan. These habitats are composed of dry arid areas, where poverty stricken human communities live without basic amenities of life, like education, skills, health care, potable water, communication infrastructure and employment. Thus, the humans co-existing with the houbara are considered as important stakeholders in the issue of the houbara.

Every year the government of Pakistan invites Arab rulers and members of their royal families to pursue their centuries’ old sport of hunting the houbara with falcons. Various areas are allotted to them for setting up their hunting camps. During the period of allotment, the said dignitaries themselves arrange to protect their hunting areas against illegal hunting and poaching. For this they employ hundreds of guards and a chain of employments of cooks, scouts, drivers, tradesmen and khalasis takes place from the local communities for the duration of the hunting camps. A watch-and-ward system starts functioning from August until the end of March, during which, all species and their habitats are saved from destruction.

Government departments do not have the capacity to protect every inch of the area. Therefore, allotment of the hunting areas goes a long way in guaranteeing a lease of life to the wild birds and animals. Apart from following the concept of ‘sustainable hunting’, the Arab rulers and members of royal families also share their dividends with the habitat communities through various welfare projects, primarily in health, education, religion, infrastructure development, housing and clean drinking water, to help uplift the socio-economic conditions of the under-privileged communities.

Of course, in order to keep the ecological balance intact, we must not encourage any activity which is beyond the concept of ‘sustainability’.

The urban educated gentry need to understand the plight of the communities living in the arid zone and the benefits brought to them by the migratory houbara and the Arab falconers. The best way to study nature and the human needs is to visit communities in such remote area, live in the area and interact with those stakeholders.

LT COL (retd) ERNEST SHAMS

Lahore