Rfalconcam Forum

(Wam) / 13 June 2012

ABU DHABI - The Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) has released 66 falcons (44 Peregrines and 22 Sakers) back into the wild in the skies above Kurchum, Kazakhstan, as part of the Shaikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme.

The release is part of an ambitious research programme to understand the rehabilitation potential of falcons used for falconry and to highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats.

The importance of both the Saker and Peregrine falcons for traditional Arab falconry has meant that Abu Dhabi has been at the forefront of conservation efforts for these species. The Shaikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme, now in its 18th year, uses cutting-edge technology to study the migration patterns of falcons. Since the programme began in 1995, over 1,363 falcons have been released back into the wild.

This year’s release, which came upon the directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with the support of Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of EAD, was carried out from May 26-28.

The programme is supervised by the EAD, with medical support being provided by the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, the largest falcon hospital in the world. This year, the falcons were released by Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Managing Director of the EAD and Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec).

Out of the 66 falcons, EAD successfully fitted nine falcons (four Peregrine falcons and five Saker falcons) with satellite transmitters to better understand their migration patterns, which will help protect them and their habitats. During the first three days after their release, some of the tagged falcons flew around 50km, while others flew around 200km.

For the programme, only birds free of infection are included to guarantee that the wild falcon population is healthy. To ensure their flight would be swift and efficient, each falcon undergoes several weeks of daily exercise and is fed a special diet to increase its weight, as the birds need substantial reserves to fight against the elements and accomplish their extraordinary journey.

“The late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan used to release falcons back into the wild at the end of each hunting season in the hope that they will rejoin the wild population. By doing so, he was contributing to the growth and conservation of the wild population. Today, we are upholding his legacy by encouraging falconers all over the UAE to donate their falcons to this programme at the end of the hunting season so that they can be released back into the wild. In this way, the falcon population will continue to thrive. Arabian history and tradition place a significant importance on this species, which has been passed down to us from our ancestors and which will see us pass it down to our future generations,” said Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi.

“The Shaikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme is a long-term programme that helps us better understand if migratory birds such as the Peregrines and Saker falcons can maintain the same migratory route after they have been used for Falconry. It also teaches us if falconry birds can be readapted to the wild, and how best to select and prepare them to ensure the greatest success rates,” said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary-General of EAD.

“Moreover, the satellite transmitters we fit the birds with are another important element of this release programme. They enable us to study the location, movements and eventually the migration routes of these majestic birds. In doing so, Abu Dhabi is contributing to falcon conservation in a key way,” added Al Mubarak.

Love the word Abu Dhabi!  :devil: