FEA starts issuing falcon passports

The Federal Environmental Agency (FEA), with the cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, began issuing 'falcon passports' for registered falcons, yesterday.

This was announced by General Majid Al Mansouri, the Secretary General of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA).

The new passports will enable falcons to travel abroad along with their owners. The passports are being issued under a new regulatory system to register all the falcons in the country by the end of this month.

General Majid said that a bird must be registered before a passport can be issued. This will help to regulate falconry and falcon keeping, in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The passports are being issued by the FEA, the CITES Management Authority of the UAE, to enable the owner of a live falcon, or a person authorised in writing by the owner, to make frequent cross-border trips with the falcon without a CITES permit being required.

Mansouri, who is also Executive Chairman of Emirates Falconers' Club, while briefing the media about the club's participation in the upcoming Arab Hunting Show 2002 in Dubai, added: "So far, 3,800 falcons have been registered for passports, and the process will continue till the deadline.

"The end of the month is the deadline for registering the falcons which are in the country. Those who fail to meet the deadline will not be able to get travel documents for their falcons."

Registration forms are available with falcon hospitals in the country, including Abu Dhabi and Al Khazna Falcon Hospitals and two falcon hospitals in Dubai.

The ERWDA official said the "Falcon Passport" was designed and prepared by the Agency which received the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) approval before their release yesterday.

The FEA and the ministry are responsible for registring of falcons and issuing the passport, while ERWDA is providing technical and scientific support, such as designing and preparing the passport and other registration documents and forms.

The process requires the owners to give information about the CITES certificate number, the origin of the bird and date of acquisition, the bird's ring number and other details.

The authorities have been sending reminders to falcon owners to register their birds in order to get the passports under the new regulation.

Al Mansouri added that the registration of the falcons and issuance of the passports will bring an end to the illegal trade in these birds, their smuggling and illegal possession.

The details in the passports include name, address and contact numbers of the owner, falcon species and its country of origin and sex, appendix, ring and Passive Induced Transponder (PIT) numbers, registration and expiry dates and place of registration.

Al Mansouri also said that the Emirates Falconers' Club will take part in the Arab Hunting Show 2002 at the Dubai World Trade Centre from September 23 to 26.

Taking part, too, will be the National Avian Research Centre (NARC), the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital and the Arabian Saluki Centre.

"The NARC, which is one of ERWDA's main centres, will present its programmes and research development in the field of conserving Houbara, and its captive breeding programme.

"Since it started operating in 1993, NARC has been able to achieve numerous scientific accomplishments that have made it among the leading centres in the world in the study and conservation of the Houbara bustard," he explained.

He added that the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital will participate in the same stand to highlight its modern facilities, which are provided to falcons used in the hunting sport in particular and to avians in general.

Around 3,000 falcons, from the UAE and other Gulf countries, were treated in the hospital, since its opening in October 1999. Facilities include 40 hospital wards and 20 quarantine wards for birds with contagious diseases.

"The Emirates Falconers' Club will promote its objectives and services which include informing people about falcon migration and the promotion and support of sustainable hunting methods," Al Mansouri said.

As part of the cultural heritage of Arabian Hunting, the newly founded Arabian Saluki Centre will also be present at the Show.

The Saluki is a highly prized desert hound that has been bred for thousands of years.

The Centre honours the Arab tradition and provides a caring place where members can either acquire a Saluki or allow their own to experience state of the art services ranging from training to health consultations and advice on breeding and grooming.

The Arab Hunting Show will cover the latest aspects of hunting such as equipment, clothing, and souvenirs. The exhibition, the sixth in a row, is considered one of the most popular and successful exhibitions in the Middle East.

Last year, it attracted more than 120 organisations from over 25 countries who displayed their services to over 11,000 visitors. This year's show is expected to see a rise in visitors from the surrounding region.