India, July 28 -- A unique effort is on to revive wild habitat in the Aral Sea, once one of the great inland water bodies of the world and now decimated as a result of decisions taken by the erstwhile Soviets.

Uzbekistan and its partners are reintroducing hundreds of individuals of the houbara bustard species - a vulnerable migratory bird reliant on cross-border habitats.

"The June 2026 release in Karakalpakstan reflects a wider regional shift: countries pooling expertise, resources and scientific capacity to restore landscapes and safeguard biodiversity. Environmental recovery in Central Asia will be collaborative, long-term and underpinned by shared responsibility," a statement by the National Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan o...