The famous Saker Falcon, mainly used for traditional hunting, is in a critical condition today and is fighting a battle for survival in the wild, an Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (Erwda) official said.
Announcing a one-day symposium on Saker to be held on the sidelines of Big 3 Show Arab Hunting Show, the Arabian Adventure Show and the Arabian Equestrian Show today in Abu Dhabi, Majid Al Mansouri, Erwda's Secretary General, said yesterday that according to recent research the saker population has suffered a dramatic decline in the last few years and some others are precariously threatened.
Al Mansouri said Mohammed Al Bowardi, Managing Director of Erwda, will open the symposium.
Meanwhile, the Big 3 Show was inaugurated by Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Economic Department, at the General Exhibition Corporation grounds yesterday. All three exhibitions are being held simultaneously under one roof.
Sheikh Hamed said: "Up to 80 per cent decline in saker's population is not only catastrophic but highlights the problems for saker which range from excessive and uncontrolled use of rodenticides in Mongolia to unsustainable harvest levels elsewhere."
He also referred to the temporary trade ban imposed on the UAE by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), which has not been very helpful as it even stopped the import of captive bred birds.
"Although for some populations there is no hope, saker can still be effectively conserved if we understand the gravity of the situation. Saker is an important species both locally and globally. It is a true symbol of Arab falconry."
Current and historical distribution of saker falcon was over much of Asia, Eastern Europe, Russian Federation, China and Mongolia. However, over the years the distribution range has shrank.
"Today saker has a very narrow continuous distribution range spread over Mongolia, parts of China and Kazakhstan. There are two sub species of saker falcon, Falco Cherrug Cherrug, distributed in Central Europe through Russia, Ukraine and Iran to the foothills of Altai, and the Falco Cherrug Nilvipes distributed in Siberia, Northern Mongolia, Northern and Central China, Nepal and India.
"Its Western-Central European and Siberian-Mongolian population has reduced. The Chinese, Central Kazakhstan and East Ukrainian populations are virtually gone. The European and Kazakhstan populations have undergone most rapid declines.
"There has been more than 80 per cent decline in the Kazakh population by 2000. Estimates for the Chinese are now revised to 300 breeding pairs from 20,000".
Unsustainable harvest levels are one of the major problems in saker conservation. Last year, the UAE established a falcon registration scheme established as one of the key requirements to revoke the trade suspension. This scheme ensured that of the 3,169 falcons registered, 40 per cent are wild and 60 per cent captive bred.
Saker constitutes about 41 per cent of all the registered falcons. Somewhere between 75 to 80 per cent of all the birds in the UAE are registered. Of the 1,294 saker falcons, 1,185 are caught in the wild, while only 109 are captive bred.
Pakistan alone accounts for nearly 90 per cent of all the wild caught birds. Birds caught in Pakistan are either passage migrants or those caught in the neighbouring countries using Pakistan as transit point.
An estimated 8,600 falcons are used in the Middle East region for falconry. It is estimated that 2,750 new falcons, mainly saker and peregrine, are trapped as replacement each year. China, Mongolia and Siberia are the main providers with Iran and China.
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