Freeing the Falcons by Silvia Razgova

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Every year, a team of experts from the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme travel to Kazakhstan to release a selection of peregrine and saker falcons back into the wild. As The National Reporter Jennifer Bells writes:

“The moment a falcon is donated, or confiscated and brought to the hospital the bird enters the release programme, Dr Muller said. Vets first examine the birds to ensure that they are free of disease before they are treated, tagged with microchips and rings, and the feathers, legs and claws measured for individual identification.

When fully fit, falcons are then sent to a special training camp where experienced falconers train the birds to relearn survival skills to cope in the wilderness alone.

Falcons need intensive training because the wild can be a tough environment, Dr Muller said.

It can take more than a dozen attempts for a falcon to catch its prey and the bird must be able to withstand flying hundreds of kilometres per hour, in both the heat and sub-zeo temperatures.

When fully trained, the falcons are taken from the UAE in spring time to Kazakhstan – chosen as it is along the birds’ migratory routes and has an abundance of prey, said Mohammed Al Baidani, director general of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, which helps to organise the programme.”

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In Silvia Razgova’s last few months as a staff photographer at The National, she documented the efforts of the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme which included members of the office the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) and the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. Assigning Photo Editor RJ Mickelson conducted a Q&A with Silvia about her experience:

Had you had much experience photographing falcons previously?

Not really. I had photographed a brief falconry demonstration during another assignment, which didn’t focus on the craft. What I took away from that introduction was that photographing falcons isn’t as easy as it looks.

What was the most challenging aspect about photographing falcons?

While the birds are perched, they stay fairly still so I didn’t see any challenge in that. Once they are flying and moving, it’s not that difficult to track them once you are focused on them. The biggest challenge is the transition, the takeoff. You can set the camera tracking but you never know which direction the falcon will fly.

Did the falconers (falcon trainers) treat their falcons differently in terms of interactions when speaking to them?

As a western expatriate I tend to interact with animals as pets - wanting to connect with them through touch, and have them submit to my want and cajoling. All falconers from the private office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces seem to approach them differently with an inherently understood respect for the birds as wild, free creatures. They handle them with a lot of grace.

What was the mood of the organisers, falconers, veterinarians, etc., on the trip?

The whole team remained focused on the job throughout the long days, with brief breaks of relief after each birds successful release, and a joyous moment at the end after the last falcon had disappeared into the landscape. Soon after though, the veterinarian, Dr Margit Muller, and the staff from the International Fund for Houbara Conservation were back to a focused conversation, talking about the preparation for the next year’s release, which started the day after their return to Abu Dhabi. It took a great amount of dedication, time and work by the conservation team to allow the falcons to fly free again.

Perhaps it’s my personal opinion, but it seems that falcons themselves have an independent quality. They don’t travel in flocks and they have a certain physical presence and dignity. After photographing them for so long did you come away with any new impressions?

I agree. This assignment only reaffirmed my impression of the magnificent bird. At the same time, I realised their tremendous fragility as a species. It gave me some food for thought on the vulnerability of our whole ecosystem, and our position as biological beings within the system, which in turn is very much in our own hands.

On that note, was there anything you didn’t know about falcons that you learned in Kazakhstan?

Everything I have learned about them and their history, and the culture of falconry in the UAE, I learned from this trip. That’s one of the great things about being a journalist or a photographer - I get to peek into many different worlds and lives and keep expanding my dilettante knowledge base.

Is there a photo or moment that you especially appreciate from the series?

Most definitely it was the moment when I got to hold one of the falcons for a few seconds before she spread her wings for the first time as a free creature again. That was exhilarating. Also, there are a a few photos of Dr Muller releasing one of the peregrine falcons - the expression on her face says it all.

Anything else you’d like to add about the experience?

Being in that wide open, windswept space of a Kazakh steppe, that was blanketed with wild flowers and overseen by towering rain clouds, felt energizing and in a way empowering. I think I got a minute insight into the love that many nations develop for their native landscapes. Each place comes with its own power and beauty, and I felt lucky to take a peek at yet another, different land.

All photos by Silvia Razgova / The National