RIYADH, 18 May 2004 — In an effort to reintroduce 41 falcons into their natural habitat, a special mission will take off today to air freight the birds to the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan at the initiative of Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation.
Veterinary Dr. Jamie Samour, medical director of Fahd ibn Sultan Falcon Center, told Arab News that the falcons are being released into a protected area of Kazakhstan, where they originally came from.
The birds belong to a species known as Saker, indigenous to that country and are worth between SR5,000 and SR500,000 each.
Last year, 28 birds were flown to Kazakhstan under what is known as the Prince Sultan Falcon Release Program in Central Asia. Most of the birds were donated to Prince Sultan by Saudi hunters.
The coordinating agency for the program is the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD), of which Prince Sultan is the chairman, said Dr. Samour, adding his center was asked to screen the birds prior to their trip. All the birds being flown out from Riyadh have been vaccinated against Newcastle disease and falcon pox.
The birds had microchips implanted, which will transmit data to a special communications satellite, Arcos, on their flight movements following their release.
This information will be relayed back to NCWCD. The birds also carry a unique ID number and NCWCD’s address and phone number for identification purposes.
The 41 birds making this year’s trip were selected out of 56 birds, following a series of medical tests to make sure they were medically fit for release into the wild, Dr. Samour said. “Falcons lose their primary wings in summer due to molting. They are kept in air-conditioned rooms to grow new feathers, which takes about six months. We also carry out medical checks to make sure that their liver and kidneys are functioning properly, so they are fit for release,” he said.
The Fahd ibn Sultan Falcon Center was set up by Prince Fahd, governor of Tabuk. It is staffed by three veterinary doctors and 12 technicians. Besides falcons from within the Kingdom, the center also caters to birds from the other Gulf states.
“At any given time, we’ll be treating up to 60 birds a day. In the first five months of this year, we looked after some 3,500 falcons,” said Dr. Samour, who has been in this profession for 18 years.
The main problems of these birds, he explained, spring from the lack of proper management and nutrition. They can also sustain injuries during their flights.
