The Saudi Falcons Club released a number of saker falcons (Falco cherrug) in the Republic of Kazakhstan as part of the international track of its “Haddad” program, implemented as part of integrated scientific efforts aimed at reintroducing falcons into their natural habitats and enhancing their stability and breeding in the wild, UNA OIC reported.
The release took place at Altyn-Emel National Park in Kazakhstan, which was selected based on precise environmental and scientific criteria, including the suitability of the natural environment, the vastness of open habitats, the abundance of prey, and its location as a natural habitat for falcons during the breeding season.
The release site was attended by a number of officials and specialists from both the Saudi and Kazakh sides. During the event, the Deputy CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, Ahmed Al-Hababi, delivered a speech in which he affirmed that, in response to the challenges facing falcons—particularly the saker falcon, which is considered a wild species threatened with extinction—the Saudi Falcons Club launched the “Haddad” program. He explained that the program aims to enhance the sustainability of falcons and support environmental efforts contributing to their breeding in the wild through a domestic track involving the release of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) and lanner falcons (Falco biarmicus) within the Kingdom, and an international track involving the release of saker falcons and peregrine falcons outside the Kingdom.
Al-Hababi also stressed the importance of cooperation between the relevant entities in Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Kazakhstan, noting that, in light of the challenges facing falcons in the wild, the “Haddad” program represents a practical and scientific response to reintroduce falcons to their natural habitats, thereby reinforcing ecological balance and supporting the sustainability of endangered falcon species.
For his part, Mr. Jons Bekov Zhet Omir Bekov, Governor of Kerbulak District, expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom for restoring life to the skies of Altyn-Emel Reserve through the release of falcons, and for its generous support in protecting them from extinction, noting that this represents a valuable gift for future generations.
Meanwhile, the head of Altyn-Emel Reserve, Baitor Bayev Kuat Nur Rahimuly, expressed the reserve’s pride in hosting the “Haddad” program initiative in Kazakhstan, affirming that, in cooperation with the Saudi Falcons Club, the released falcons will be protected and their breeding will be monitored within the reserve.
The release of falcons in Kazakhstan—one of the key native habitats of the saker falcon—represents an extension of the Kingdom’s efforts to conserve falcons and support endangered species.
The launch ceremony was attended on the Saudi side by representatives of the Saudi Embassy in Kazakhstan, the National Center for Wildlife Development, the Special Forces for Environmental Security, and officials from the Saudi Falcons Club. On the Kazakh side, it was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Altyn-Emel Reserve, the Institute of Zoology, and members of the local community.