National Avian Research Centre hatches first Asian houbara chick of 2025-2026 season through artificial incubation

AL AIN, 1 December (BelTA - Emirates News Agency) - The International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) has announced the successful hatching of the first Asian houbara chick of the 2025-2026 breeding season at the National Avian Research Centre in Sweihan. The milestone coincides with the Fund’s participation in the inaugural Al Ain International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2025 (AAIHEX) 2025.

The chick hatched on 20th November weighing just 43 grammes and has been assigned the identification number “M26N00001”. Each chick is provided with a unique identifier to record its origin, lineage, age, laboratory test results, and other essential biological data.

These records play a critical role in reducing inbreeding, preventing genetic mixing between distinct populations, preserving genetic purity, and ensuring the highest levels of vitality to support survival, breeding, migration, and the long-term sustainability of wild houbara populations.

Mohammed Al Matoua Al Dhaheri, Acting Director-General of IFHC, said the year holds special significance for Al Ain with the launch of the first edition of the Al Ain International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition. It also marks a key moment for the Fund, which is engaging with visitors known for their appreciation of nature and their commitment to the legacy of the Founding Father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, whose vision placed strong emphasis on environmental protection and wildlife conservation.

Al Dhaheri added that producing the first chick this early in the 2025-2026 season signals a promising start that may lead to a new record at the National Avian Research Centre, following last season’s achievement of producing 100,000 houbara birds.

The first-ever houbara chick bred outside its natural habitat in Al Ain Zoo was recorded in 1982, following the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Houbara Conservation Programme in 1977, which later evolved into the International Fund for Houbara Conservation.