Treasured falcons need protection

The UAE is cooperating across borders to ensure the future for endangered species

A fourth-year female peregrine falcon is prepared to be released back into the wild. (Silvia Razgova / The National)

Falcons are one of the UAE’s cultural treasures. Falconry was always an integral part of the traditional desert lifestyle. It remains a popular sport and falcons continue to be valued as a powerful symbol. It is important for the country to continue to look after these birds and ensure their sustainability – just as Sheikh Zayed, the late founder of the UAE, sought to do during his lifetime.

For this reason, along with wider conservation and research purposes, the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme is a very important initiative. It began in 1995 to ensure and oversee the release of wild falcons back into their natural habitat at the end of the annual hunting season. As The National reported yesterday, a new group of 55 peregrine and saker falcons has been transported from the UAE and returned to their habitat in Kazakhstan. The birds have received full medical check-ups and special training on survival skills to cope with their newly independent life in the wilderness. Since its launch, the programme has facilitated the release of 1,726 falcons back into countries including Pakistan and Iran. As falcons are migratory birds, cross-border cooperation is essential to their continued survival.

The UAE has also introduced regulations to control falconry and protect wild birds from over-exploitation or trafficking. We are serious about our responsibilities as signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites). In fact, Emirates airline has gone above and beyond Cites by joining South African Airways and several other carriers in a ban on the carriage of hunting trophies of elephants, rhinos, tigers and lions. Given Dubai’s status as one of the world’s biggest and busiest airports, and the UAE’s position as a global transport hub, this is a very important step in the protection of endangered species.

Both the falcon-release programme and the trade restrictions recognise that nature knows no borders. It is in the interests of all countries to cooperate in efforts to ensure the survival of threatened species wherever they are.