21-07-2025
UAE releases 81 falcons into wild in Kazakhstan in May; some tracked with satellite devices
Eighty one falcons were released into the wild in Kazakhstan in May 2025, as the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme (SZFRP) enters its fourth decade.
This brings the total number of falcons released by the programme since its establishment in 1995 to 2,355.
All falcons in the programme underwent a series of veterinary examinations and intensive training, the installation of identification metal rings, and the implantation of electronic chips.
Ten falcons (five falcons of each species) were provided with satellite tracking devices whose batteries are powered by solar energy, to monitor survival rates, spread and migration routes, and to collect scientific data that is used to develop rehabilitation, training and release methods.
The programme continued in Kazakhstan for the ninth consecutive year, with the release of 53 peregrine falcons and 28 saker falcons within their migratory range, which includes parts of Kazakhstan, Russia, China, Mongolia, and neighboring countries.
These areas feature rugged mountains and vast plains, providing abundant prey for the falcons.
The initiative aims to increase falcon populations and protect them from the risks of expanding human activities at the expense of natural habitats, unsustainable breeding practices, climate change, and other factors that put them at risk of extinction.
