The Houbara Bustard is a rare and ‘royal’ bird that is the prey of choice among falconers, the sport of princes and sheikhs of the world.  This arid dwelling bird has almost been hunted to the brink of extinction in the Persian Gulf.  The heritage of falconry predates the written word and evolves around hunting Houbara.  The Houbara Bustard flies with deceptive power and agile speed; with a distinct defense reflex of vomiting a slimy excretion that paralyzes the birds of prey in pursuit.  In 2006, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi initiated a Houbara rehabilitation program the International Fund for Houbara Conservation.