But their visit also brings in the rich Arab Sheikhs from the adjoining Gulf countries, who come here each winter to hunt these birds. Even while their hunting is totally banned, Pakistan issues permits in the bordering Sindh province legalising these killings. Strange though it may sound, Pakistan endorses this as a 'winter sports' as part of its tourism promotion, notwithstanding the fact that their killings had endangered their status in that country and has become a matter of concern for bird lovers in India as well.

According to reports in the Pakistani daily Dawn, 31 special permits have been issued this time to the Arab Sheikhs for hunting of this bird, which is also named as Macqueen's Houara. The hunting procedure is cruel, for the VIP hunters not only use sophisticated guns, but also trained falcons and dogs to hunt the quarry after it is shot.

The hunted Houbara is then roasted and eaten with great celebration and relish in air-conditioned tents, specially pitched along the Pakistani side of the Rann.

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel who man the Indo-Pak border also confirm this. "Yes, some luxurious looking tents are now a days seen, some 500 metres away from the International Pillars that dot the entire Indo-Pak border in the Kutch. From our Bedia bet post these tents must be around 15 km away. We also see luxurious Toyota cars coming and going from there. Sometimes we also hear gunshots, apparently fired by the Arabs during the hunt. The Pakistani Rangers, our counterpart, accompany them for their protection," said a senior BSF official. He said he saw such scenes last winter for the first time, after his posting here. He said they could not do anything as everything was taking place on the Pakistani side of the border. But they would still take up the matter with the Pakistanis when the next flag meeting on the border is held next month, the officer said.

Forest department officials also feign helplessness. ''Houbara is one of the four species of the Bustard Family. The Great Indian Bustard mostly found in Kutch, is also critically endangered. We could count 45 here, the largest number anywhere in the country. The counting was possible here as it is a resident bird, unlike Houbara, which is migratory, coming here only in the winters for food and warmth," R L Meena, conservator of forest for Kutch circle told this paper in an exclusive talk.