Slovak saker falcon caught in Lybia and sold for 6000 USD

[Jana]

Saker falcon is a rare species in Europe - with less than 400 pairs surviving (and maybe only 250).

Slovak ornitologists monitor, protect and ring them. And in May 2023, they put transmitters on 6 chicks before they fledged from nests in west Slovakia.

Today, only 1 chick of those 6 is still alive and free. Mortality in first year is staggeringly high. Electrocutions, collisions etc. And the second-last was just lost to Lybian falconers.

One nice female crossed Mediterranian sea south of Italy during migration in December. And got caught in Lybia. The person named Ahmed contacted the Slovak ornitologist who ringed her and sent the transmitter back to him. But he refused to set the saker free and instead put her on auction and bragged she sold for 6000 usd. Wild-caught sakers fetch good prices in Arab markets because they are considered better falconer birds than captive-born ones.

On the pic the Lybian man sent, you can see her metal and color rings she got in Slovakia, under LIFE Danube Free Sky program.

Source: podcast

 

[Strathmorezoo]

Saker falcon is a rare species in Europe - with less than 400 pairs surviving (and maybe only 250).

Slovak ornitologists monitor, protect and ring them. And in May 2023, they put transmitters on 6 chicks before they fledged from nests in west Slovakia.

Today, only 1 chick of those 6 is still alive and free. Mortality in first year is staggeringly high. Electrocutions, collisions etc. And the second-last was just lost to Lybian falconers.

One nice female crossed Mediterranian sea south of Italy during migration in December. And got caught in Lybia. The person named Ahmed contacted the Slovak ornitologist who ringed her and sent the transmitter back to him. But he refused to set the saker free and instead put her on auction and bragged she sold for 6000 usd. Wild-caught sakers fetch good prices in Arab markets because they are considered better falconer birds than captive-born ones.

On the pic the Lybian man sent, you can see her metal and color rings she got in Slovakia, under LIFE Danube Free Sky program.

Source: podcast

Outrageous!

 

[Great Argus]

Highly unfortunate... really highlights the challenges in trying to protect wide ranging species.

 

[Lafone]

Saker falcon is a rare species in Europe - with less than 400 pairs surviving (and maybe only 250).

Slovak ornitologists monitor, protect and ring them. And in May 2023, they put transmitters on 6 chicks before they fledged from nests in west Slovakia.

Today, only 1 chick of those 6 is still alive and free. Mortality in first year is staggeringly high. Electrocutions, collisions etc. And the second-last was just lost to Lybian falconers.

One nice female crossed Mediterranian sea south of Italy during migration in December. And got caught in Lybia. The person named Ahmed contacted the Slovak ornitologist who ringed her and sent the transmitter back to him. But he refused to set the saker free and instead put her on auction and bragged she sold for 6000 usd. Wild-caught sakers fetch good prices in Arab markets because they are considered better falconer birds than captive-born ones.

On the pic the Lybian man sent, you can see her metal and color rings she got in Slovakia, under LIFE Danube Free Sky program.

Source: podcast

What a crap thing to happen. Bragging about the capture and then selling the falcon to the grim people who want captive birds of prey for their own egos and don’t care about the source, just shows why these animals are so endangered.

I hope the ornithologists continue their great work undeterred. This was interesting to hear about from that point of view and their efforts are really worthwhile.

 

[Jurek7]

Horrible!

I wonder why countries which receive substantial monetary help, like Libya, cannot be forced at least to protect nature? Because the EU spends big millions on protecting birds which are caught in other countries as entertainment.