Cairo: A rare falcon, bred at a Saudi farm, has fetched SR270,000 in a record sale deal cut at an ongoing falcon auction near the Saudi capital Riyadh, according to the Saudi news agency SPA.
The deal is the highest at the level of the Middle East falcon farms in the Middle East, the agency said.
The rare falcon generated a strong competition during the sale at the International Falcon Breeders Auction held in the Saudi Falcon Club in Malham north of Riyadh. The bird is 17.5 inches long, 16.75 inches wide and weighs 1,105 grams.
The winning bidder is the Saudi falconer Moteb Munir, offering SR270,000. The new owner said he would name the falcon Raghwan and will field the bird in a major Saudi falcon competition scheduled for next November. Munir said he had developed passion for falconry from his family.
The first edition of the International Falcon Breeders Auction kicked off last week and runs until September 5, drawing falconers from inside and outside the kingdom.
Falconry is a popular hobby and an essential part of cultural heritage in the Arabian Peninsula.
