ASTANA – A total of 34 saker falcons, 28 females and six males, were released into the wild at Altyn-Emel National Park in Kazakhstan’s Almaty Region as part of a population restoration program led by Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Falcons Club in cooperation with Kazakh partners, Reuters reported on April 3.
Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Falcons Club, in partnership with Kazakhstan, released 34 saker falcons into the wild at Altyn-Emel National Park in the Almaty Region. Photo credit: middle-east-online.com Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The birds were brought from several countries and underwent acclimatization at the Sunkar Falcon Center. Researchers from the Institute of Zoology of Kazakhstan assessed the birds and selected the release site.
The program aims to restore the endangered saker falcon’s populations, listed in the Red Data Book. Organizers plan to release between 35 and 45 birds annually over the next three years.
Under the joint initiative, the falcon population in Altyn-Emel is expected to grow to around 150 within three years.
Kazakhstan’s vast steppes make it one of the most important nesting areas for falcons, said Ahmed Fahd Al-Hababi, executive vice president of the Saudi Falcons Club.
“We are returning the falcons to their natural habitat so they can breed and thrive in the wild,” he said in an interview with Middle East Online.
All released birds are equipped with GPS trackers and microchips, allowing scientists to collect data on migration patterns and behavior.
