Hunting is one of the oldest hobbies in the world, its rituals differ from one country to another, in general hunting has turned from a profession into a sport that reflects the ancient customs rooted in society.
Falconry is a sport that may be widespread in some regions of the world, such as Australia, Europe, Kazakhstan, and others
otherwise it has its own specificity in the United Arab Emirates in particular and countries of the Arabian Peninsula in general, it is a popular sport that is widely spread, falconry in the Arab region dates back more than 2000 years, and in some sources more than that.
Falconry hunting with falcons goes beyond being a hobby to being an integral part of the emirates heritage, a hunter in this sport is called a falconer, it is a sport for the rich, fairly.
Falconry teaches patience, in order for the falcon to get used to its falconer, it needs time for coordination between them.
Among the most important types of falcons used in hunting are the peregrine falcon and sparrow hawk.
One of the most important tools used is the burqa which made of leather, it is being used to cover the head of the falcon when it stop flying, The reasons to use it are:
- Calm the bird.
- Facilitate approaching the bird and dealing with it.
Falconry and animals rights:
The United Arab Emirate government, led by the late Sheikh Zayed, devoted attention to falcons and gave them full care, by building the largest falcon hospital in the world, and launching the Falcon Release Programme, falcons get special care in the United Arab Emirates and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, there are strict rules for those who want to own falcons, such as large areas for falcons to live.
Falconry and UNESCO:
The efforts of several countries driven by the United Arab Emirates in 2010, falconry has gained worldwide recognition for its legality, Where it was registered in the list of inhuman cultural heritage in UNESCO.
In addition to the establishment of an International Association for Falconry (IAF) years earlier with the aim of organizing and developing falconry at the international level, which includes about 150 clubs and institutions concerned with falconry from 90 countries, with a membership of about 100,000.
Women and falconry:
Falconry is no longer a hobby confined to men, but rather to women as well, many women in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula have begun with the experience, in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, kuwait or UAE where the Emirate Aisha Al-Mansoori , or Adhari Al-Khalidi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or others who started teaching the hobby to hundreds of women who are willing, one of them is her nine-year-old daughter.
Falconry may be just a sport for many, but it is for falconers and its lovers, it may be the key to happiness, it gives you a feeling that cannot be described or expressed in some words, you can experience this by traveling to the Emirates, and the falcon stands on your hand.