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Captive-reared Houbara bustards (Chlamydotis (undulata(macqueenn) were reintroduced in the wild for the first time in 1991 in Mahazat as-Said, a 2200 km2 fenced protected area of central Saudi Arabia. Different techniques of release are tested each year to determine factors affecting survival. Predation has been identified as the main cause of mortality From 1993 to 1997, the mean survival rate after 3 months was 475%, whereas it was as high as 859% for the release of January 1999. Several factors could explain this higher survival, such as older age at release, enhanced captivity conditions before release, enhanced body conditions with better food availability and lower or delayed predation risks. Since 1991, 360 birds have been released, resulting in an established breeding population close to 110 individuals. All of them were equipped with radio transmitters, allowing accurate assessment of breeding parameters and population trends, and to enable studies on the still poorly known ecology of this species.