A three-day meeting to discuss the conservation status of the Saker Falcon was inaugurated in the capital on Sunday and attended by conservationists and Saker falcon biologists from around the world. They gathered to propose a way forward to effectively conserve this species.
The meeting, which is being hosted by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), was inaugurated by H.E Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Secretary General of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and Managing Director of EAD. H.E Al Bowardi sounded the alarm bell about the decline of the Saker falcon population in his opening speech.
He added that, like many other birds of prey, the Saker is threatened by loss of habitat and prey everyday.
“Today, it is a sad fact that the wild saker has declined dramatically in some parts of its range and is now listed as Endangered by IUCN. This wild tough bird is not only capable of flying up and away at any time, but it can hunt and survive alone. However, it can’t escape its destiny,” he added.
“Understanding the conservation status of the Saker is essential for us to develop a clear action plan to save it”. We are hosting this meeting to take this process forward and to honour our commitment, made during the CMS meeting of Parties held in Rome last year,” he added.
He said this meeting is not the first time the UAE steps up to safeguard the Saker. Back in 2003, the UAE hosted a major symposium entitled Saker Falcon Status in the Range Countries, where a declaration calling to enhance cooperation at all levels to conserve Saker falcon was issued..He added that the UAE has a long history of conserving wildlife inspired by our late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
H.E Al Bowardi said that EAD has consistently supported research programmes and artificial nesting programmes in as far away as Mongolia and other parts of Central Asia. The information EAD had gathered had helped immensely to better understand how to conserve this important species.
“We hope that this meeting will generate practical recommendations, which will help to preserve Saker and increase its numbers in the wild, taking into account its social and economic role in its range and migration countries,” he noted.
He reiterated that the UAE is committed to bringing countries together and working with all parties to determine the best way forward to save this species and preserve it as an integral part of the UAE’s traditional heritage.
The opening session included a film highlighting the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme, which has succeeded in release=ing 1,121 falcons back into the wild, including Sakers and Peregrines since 1995.
In the meeting’s first session, conservation through sustainable use was highlighted, in addition to the European Union’s Saker LIFE project. Attendees discussed the practical realities of Saker falcon conservation.
The subject of Arab Falconry: traditions and modern practices was also highlighted by H.E Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD, while Abdul Rab Al Hamiri from UAE CITES Office (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) spoke about the types of falcons used in Arab falconry.
The afternoon session focused on what is currently known about saker populations in its range states including Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia,Mongolia and China.
The next two days will include discussions on factors affecting saker conservation such as habitat and prey loss, trapping and illegal trade, electrocution and hybridisation. IUCN Conservation Status, CITES and international trade and Legislation and policy on Saker in Pakistan will also be highlighted
The meeting will also discuss conservation measures including captive breeding, CITES and legal trade, health care and husbandry in Arabic falconry, sustainable use and artificial nests in Mongolia, in addition to reintroduction and results of the satellite tracking of Sakers in Central Europe.
This meeting is a follow-up of a resolution passed during the Meeting of Parties of UNEP’s Convention on Migratory Species held in Rome in 2008. The resolution urged countries to discuss the status and conservation needs of the Saker Falcon.
