Our Falconry and Conservation

Falconry is the art of hunting naturally with a bird of prey. Burial sites containing eagles in Central Asian give evidence that this art is more than 5000 years old. Working with humans is natural for raptors because breeding pairs often hunt together, and sometimes follow other animals that disturb prey. Falconry techniques have changed little with time, and are best gained from a teacher, such as the parent of a child. They are celebrated by UNESCO as its most widespread intangible heritage of mankind, and provide a culture with great educational value.

 

Falconry is also an art which brings closeness to the natural world and hence a strong desire to conserve nature. Falconers need to conserve both wild raptors and prey. If wild raptors have become rare, a stock of domestic breeding birds may be needed and some used to rebuild wild stocks. However, using wild raptors too keeps domestic stocks healthy and encourages removal of threats for wild populations. Good laws use both approaches, and should help falconers to ensure that breeding raptors are never taken from the wild. Falconers are also discovering how to restore prey species and their habitats, which can benefit the riches of nature widely and in many ways.