Health considerations of the rehabilitation of illegally traded houbara bustards Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii in the Middle East

There is a large illegal trade in trapped houbara bustards Chlamydotis undu lata macqueenii, which are smuggled into the Middle East for falconry. Mort ality is high and is associated with poor transport conditions, malnutritio n, overcrowding and exposure to multiple infectious diseases, in particular aspergillosis, avian pox and paramyxovirus type 1 virus. Other pathogens i nclude Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Trichomonas sp., intestinal endopar asites, avian leucosis, reovirus, adenovirus, paramyxovirus type 2 and Chla mydia sp. Various regional initiatives have been initiated to confiscate an d rehabilitate illegally trapped birds. This paper reviews the causes of mo rbidity and mortality seen in illegally traded houbara bustards and provide s health recommendations for those involved in rehabilitation.