The ECWP has achieved a high level of expertise in the artificial reproduction of houbara bustard. The
early years of the project were devoted to the establishment of a high quality breeding flock and to the
standardization of reliable breeding techniques. Two different groups of birds must be produced: birds
that will be released and birds that will reinforce the breeding stock. Objectives and constraints for these
two populations are totally different and specific breeding techniques for these two groups were
developed. Significant progress was also made in the disease control and health management of the
captive birds, especially in the control of infectious disease of significance, such as Poxvirus disease,
Newcastle disease and Chlamydiosis. Nethertheless, diseases of houbara bustards remain poorly
documented and addressing the sanitary risks, while also attending to improvement of nutrition and
genetic management, represents the backbone of on-going and future research programmes