IAF – preservation of the cultures and traditions of falconry wherever they exist

IAF – a global voice for falconry

In This Issue

Abu Dhabi Symposium: “Falconry: a World Heritage”  13–15 Sept’05

IAF/CIC Working Group for UNESCO Submissions and success of the Abu Dhabi event

The IAF Annual General Meeting 

New IAF Members            Presidential Report

Approval of Working Plan for UNESCO Project

Report of Vice President for the Americas

Website and Newsletter, CIC, Middle East, CIC

Baltic and Scandinavian States WG, CITES

European Action Plan for the Saker Falcon

21^st meeting Animals Committee Geneva

CITES calendar

IAF Science Committee Report

New IAF Vice-president for the Americas

 News from the Delegates

Zimbabwe, France, Slovakia, Denmark, Bulgaria

Presentation of the President’s Awards

Future AGMs

Eighth Meeting of Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species

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This symposium was held with the gracious support of the government of the United Arab Emirates and was organised with the assistance of Profalcon Breeding Project and the Emirates Falconers’ Club who invited prominent falconers, academics, conservationists and other specialists from around the world to make presentations on behalf of falconry. The speakers had been selected for specific reasons. In some cases they were delegates from IAF member countries and in others they were scientists or academics selected because of their known expertise in a particular field.  A lengthy list had been proposed by IAF, CIC and FHT and by Profalcon. The final selection and decisions rested with our hosts and the speakers all worked very hard to adapt their knowledge for use in presentations that were relevant to the aims of this project – UNESCO recognition of an intangible aspect of falconry as world heritage.

In his introductory speech, HE Mohamed Al Bowardi, said that recognising falconry as a world heritage was an issue that has been considered to be of utmost importance. "Today we are all gathered here to accept some responsibility and commit to doing something," he said. "Having an obligation to dedicate our efforts to the conservation and preservation of falconry, several symposiums on falconry have already been conducted in Abu Dhabi. Every symposium has resulted in more knowledge, a deeper awareness, strong initiatives and an outstanding contribution of expertise from those passionate about falconry."

Dr. Gadi Mgomezulu, Director of the Division of Cultural Heritage of UNESCO led a UNESCO delegation. He lectured on the 'Prospects of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage' on the first day of the three-day symposium and gave his expert opinion on many issues over the course of the event, explaining convention ratification and submission procedures and clarifying many difficult points, including the fact that submissions must be made by individual countries. He said: "We are waiting for member states to complete the ratification of 2003 Convention under the criteria set in the UNESCO programme for the proclamations. The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has been adopted in view of globalisation and social transformation, which pose grave threats of deterioration, disappearance and destruction of the intangible cultural heritage".

Dr. Benno Böer of UNESCO’s Doha, Qatar office also gave a presentation and said: “It is not only the convention on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage that can assist the art of falconry, but also the establishment of world heritage sites, which could then have sustainable hunting with falcons as an element within them.”

From all this it was concluded that a submission (as yet in unknown form) should be prepared for mid-2006. The IAF officers present confirmed IAF’s enthusiasm for the project and explained how IAF can encourage countries: it can offer information, advice, and encouragement, but cannot force a country if the falconers there do not want to do the work needed towards making a submission.

The definition of “intangible heritage” could vary from country to country and may not be the only way UNESCO can help falconers. IAF can help in identify these things and be active in representations to UNESCO and continue correspondence between falconry nations (both IAF and non-IAF) to keep up the impetus. We can make contacts in non-IAF countries that will or may benefit from the project and we can look into other ways the tangible and the semi-tangible could be used to present falconry’s heritage as part of a Planned Programme.

The collection of information from countries proposing a future submission will be instrumental. The Archives of Falconry and the two web-based virtual archives, the Falconry Heritage Trust and the Archivo Iberoamericano de Cetreria (AIC), (the Ibero-American Falconry Archive) in Valladolid, can use their “semi-tangible” and “tangible” evidences to present the “intangible” to the convention and to the world as part of a Planned Programme. It is clear that we will have to document living heritage and culture and not just history. Therefore, although historians have a major part to play, this is by no means the whole story. Those people assisting in the collection of information (the working group co-ordinators) at this stage will primarily be building up material for storage in preparation for each submission. The doors also remain open to anyone else who wishes to contribute.

In a newspaper interview shortly after the symposium Dr. Mgomezulu said the project was being seriously considered, it would be one of the important entries and could well be adopted under the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. "Quite likely this will begin with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among all concerned parties to be produced and hopefully signed very soon." He said several meetings had been held to proceed with the UNESCO project among the concerned parties: UAE as submitting country, International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF), International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), the Falconry Archives and the Falconry Heritage Trust.

IAF/CIC Working Group for UNESCO Submissions

After hearing the presentations made over the three days of the Symposium, those members of the IAF/CIC Working Group who were present, other contributors and the UNESCO officials asked and answered questions and clarified some important points. It ended with a workshop entitled: “The Way Forward” in which the Working Group Committee and the WG members worked with UNESCO in finding the best way forward towards recognizing Falconry as part of the World’s Cultural Heritage. A report of the Abu Dhabi symposium (on which the above version is based) was presented to the Council of Delegates at the IAF Annual General Meeting and received the approval of the meeting to proceed as planned. Until now all mention of IAF's involvement in the project has been kept vague. There have been no specifics, except that we offered our help and would organise a Working Group to gather information towards a conference in Abu Dhabi. We did all this and are now at the stage where we can be more specific.

Success of the Abu Dhabi event

One of the great successes of the Abu Dhabi event was that we now have a better idea of the wealth of knowledge and information we have available to us in physical collections, museums, galleries, archives and manpower and we have a good idea as to how we will use all this, the tangible or semi-tangible aspects of falconry’s traditions to help us present and preserve the intangible. We know falconers have been successful in conservation projects and through this have been very much involved in turning around a negative attitude in many non-falconers. The main aspect of falconry that is not assured for future generations is the intangible cultural aspect – that which is passed down through families, mentors and personal contact with other falconers, that which cannot be learned from a book.

IAF held its 2005 AGM at the Annual Field meet of the Czech Falconers Club in the beautiful and hospitable village of Opočno in Bohemia. The Advisory Committee meeting was held in Prague the day before and lasted the full day. At the Council of Delegates Meeting 62 delegates represented 25 countries from 4 continents and the meeting went on from 9am to 7:30pm. The hospitality of our Czech hosts was exemplary and extended well beyond the two days of meetings. Delegates were royally treated to the best of hawking for another three days.

New IAF Members

One new Member Nation joined IAF at the AGM – Serbia and Montenegro, who will be represented by Ars nobilis Udruzenje Sokolara Srbije i Crne Gore, the Falconers' Association of Serbia and Montenegro. Other new member organisations that were accepted were the World Falconers’ Club of Japan and Nihon Takajou Kyoukai, the Japan Falconers Association. Delegates also formally welcomed as a supporting member the United Kingdom Hawk Board, who had signed a memorandum of understanding with IAF in May of this year.

There was considerable discussion on protocols for new clubs seeking membership of IAF. In some cases breakaway clubs applying for membership in opposition to their existing national club in order to gain recognition. In other cases the breakaway club forms because its members are not satisfied with the representation they are receiving. The situation is particularly difficult in countries where a small number of falconers are divided into many tiny clubs. These problems always have to be carefully addressed. It should also be noted that at this year’s AGM the Council of Delegates accepted fewer than half of the associations that had applied for IAF membership.

Presidential Report

In his report President Patrick Morel said: “On behalf of IAF, I would like to express our sincere thanks for the outstanding organization of the Czech Falconers Association and especially to Petr, Bohumil, Jana and Marcela. I would like also to thank the Hunters Association and especially Mr. Broukal and Mr. Kralicek. Their friendly attitude towards the IAF delegates and the patience they showed during the visits resulted in feeling like "visit to old friends". The official social evening in Prague was memorable. We appreciate the work of the Czech hunters, who take care of the small game; it would be impossible to practise the art of falconry without their work and care.  Thanks for your support to Czech falconry as a living part of Czech hunting and for your help to falconry during the complex legislation process in the last period. We were also surprised and delighted with your pleasant presents and gifts.”

President Patrick Morel went on to pay tribute to prominent friends from the falconer’s community who had died in the past year. He paid tribute and asked a minute of silence in memory of HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan - UAE; Ron Hartley - Zimbabwe; Givi Chovogadze - Georgia; Will Shor and Morley Nelson – USA

He stated 2005 had been a busy year for the IAF. He thanked both vice-presidents for the superb job they are undertaking and especially Frank who was finishing his second term as VP for the Americas. Hermann Döttlinger and Lorenzo Machin Acosta expressed their wish to leave the Advisory Committee. He thanked both of them profusely for their invaluable advice and welcomed new AC member, Alexander Prinz from Germany. Later in the meeting the delegates also welcomed unanimously Frank Bond as a member of the Advisory Committee.

He described problems on the European front; we had to deal with problems related to falconry in Slovenia, UK and Spain. On the Asian front, we had to deal problems in Middle East (Houbara bustard), Japan and in the Ukraine where falconry was questioned. He spoke on a Memo of Understanding, which had been signed by IAF and the UK Hawk Board whereby both parties agreed to “…..cooperate closely on all national and international levels to conserve birds of prey and to safeguard falconry, and also to promote falconry as an integral part of sustainable use and conservation of wildlife”.

He also spoke about the Falconry Heritage Trust, describing its objectives and he encouraged delegates to join with it.

Approval of Working Plan for UNESCO Project

José Manuel Rodríguez-Villa presented a plan for the UNESCO work outlined above and he asked for a vote of the Council of Delegates to approve it. The vote was taken and the work unanimously approved.

Vice President for the Americas

Frank M. Bond, who has now completed two terms in the capacity, the maximum allowed under the IAF constitution, made his final Report as IAF Vice President for the Americas. He saluted the officers and Advisory Committee members as friends and listed the skills achievements of individuals who had helped in achieving IAF’s period of spectacular growth. He went on to introduce his successor:

“The North American Falconers Association has nominated William Johnston to replace me as Vice President for the Americas.  I support and recommend him and believe he will provide you with the leadership the IAF will need for our region of the world.”

He described contact with Latin America, stating that the NAFA-Mexico delegate, Juan Carlos Rojo, maintains the best contacts in that region. However, we may be able to increase our South American falconry contacts next year at a conference on raptors of that region next June in Argentina. Frank has been invited to present the role of falconers in raptor conservation. With the potential attendance of other IAF officers, we may be able to develop contacts where falconry needs to be organized and recognized by national authorities.

In the United States, there were two important advances during the past year.  First, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a proposed revision to federal falconry regulations. NAFA members and others, including the IAF, responded to the FWS’s call for comments on the proposal. There are several significant changes:  (1) the present dual permit system will be eliminated in favour of a single permit issued by the falconer’s state; (2) more birds may be held by a falconer for falconry purposes; (3) more species of raptors may be captured from the wild; (4) the age to begin falconry is lowered from 14 to 12 years old; and (5) foreign falconers may come into the USA for a limited time and apply for a permit to practice falconry (if a person attempts to import a raptor, there is still a 30 day quarantine period). Finally, FWS will prepare and issue an Environmental Assessment to support its modifications of both sets of regulations.  With final adoption of the regulations, falconry and raptors propagation within the U.S. will be quite secure for the foreseeable future.

For the past two years, a harvest of eyass peregrines was taken in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Washington.  In the future, we expect the remaining western states to permit a harvest. Despite these harvests, several “green” groups (local chapters of the National Audubon Society) filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Oregon to force the FWS to stop the harvest.  On behalf of NAFA, Frank intervened in the lawsuit to support the FWS’s harvest decision and personally presented the case in May in Portland for NAFA members to be able to capture peregrines. In July, the federal judge issued his opinion siding with us on all points thus affirming the position of FWS. When the plaintiffs did not file notice of appeal on September 20, 2005, the case was over; so American falconers will now be able to harvest eyass peregrines without threat at all from anti-falconers. A remaining challenge is to be able to capture passage peregrines. When that goal has been accomplished, falconers in the USA will have recovered every component of the full spectrum of historical falconry.

Despite this bright picture for the future, there is still a problem with the West Nile virus, which does not seem to be as devastating this year as relatively few birds died, perhaps because of prior, non-lethal exposure. Dr. Patrick Redig, Director of the University of Minnesota Raptor Center is doing the essential research on a vaccine in cooperation with the researchers associated with the U.S. Center for Disease Control. Dr. Redig, a well-known falconer, is NAFA’s consulting veterinarian. 

There are also reduced populations in certain grouse species, particularly to sage grouse, sharptail grouse, and the lesser prairie chicken. The North American Grouse Partnership, founded by falconers, is an essential group providing support for research and conservation programs.  The significant leaders of the NAGP are Ralph Rogers and Jim Weaver, both former NAFA presidents, and Steve Sherrod, a highly recognized falconer, propagator and conservation biologist, and a member of the IAF Hybrids Working Group.

Frank enthused about the 2006 IAF AGM to be held in Kearney, Nebraska in conjunction with NAFA’s annual field meet from November 20 to 24. He described it thus: “An outstanding location to see a diverse range of hawking at rabbits, ducks, pheasants, sharptailed grouse and other species. The NAFA meets include many enjoyable evening activities and presentations, including significant guest speakers. Additionally, there will be vendors of falconry equipment from all across the U.S., and even some foreign countries. And many of you will remember that we have large raffles for falconry items and equipment. We hope that all Council delegates can attend for what we expect to be a memorable experience.”

He closed his address with these words: “As this is my final report, I thank all of you for your confidence, collegiality, hospitality in many countries, and most especially for your friendship.  With clear vision and strong leadership, the IAF continues to be the most significant international voice for falconers throughout the world. United, we can support the vision of the founder, Jack Mavrogordato, to assure that falconry may be practiced in every part of the world when there are men and women who wish to go afield with hawk or falcon to have that taste of the wild in the same tradition as those generations of falconers  preceding us.”

Website and Newsletter

We have a new web hosting service and Ray Cooper is doing the new layout for the IAF website and reports: ‘Now would be a good time for any new amendments or new content you may have to be placed in the new pages.  If you have any let me have as soon as possible.  Also any new hawk/falcon pictures would be appreciated. I have some myself, but can never have enough.  I will let you know when I put new pages together and when you are all happy with them I will replace the old site and re-circulate it on the internet.’

The site receives between 2,500 to 3,000 visits per month at the moment. Delegates were very pleased with the Website and a request for recognition of Ray Cooper’s work was minuted.

The Annual IAF Newsletter had received much praise. It was our biggest edition yet and Tony Crosswell (Editor) thanked all those who contributed stating that reports are much appreciated and photos convey much to people who cannot attend these meetings or national club activities. He reminded contributors that it is important that all copy is submitted to the editor only – confusion has arisen in the past with submissions to other officers then not being passed on. The 2005 edition had a middle-eastern theme in view of the AGM hosting last year and some criticism had been received that we might have overdone this and given the impression that we are now not so concerned with other parts of the world. This will be born in mind for the next edition and efforts will be made to balance the picture.

CIC

In March the CIC’s General Assembly was held in Abu Dhabi. CIC is the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation. President Patrick Morel and Vice-presidents Bond and José Manuel Rodríguez-Villa formed the IAF’s delegation in the event. The Assembly appointed José Manuel Rodríguez-Villa as President of CIC’s Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey Commission and therefore a member of its Executive Committee, following the previous discussions and agreements. Patrick Morel, Igor Tavcar and Prof. Monika Reiterer, were elected as Falconry Commission Vice presidents.

IAF and CIC are acting jointly in the UNESCO project and have also acted concertedly in the Danish falconry case by sending letters to Danish Hunters’ Association to support the falconers’ initiative. That is the kind of joint action envisioned when the IAF/CIC Memorandum of Understanding was drafted. The CIC’s Falconry Commission is still extending financial support to Germany’s Tree Nesting Peregrine Project and will be looking soon into other projects on falconry prey species like grey partridges in Ireland or possibly North American Grouse, maybe in cooperation with other CIC’s Commissions like the Small Game Commission. CIC’s 2006 General Assembly will take place in Cyprus early May.

Middle East

We continue to enhance our relations with our only Member in the area - the Emirates Falconers Club. There are some movements towards Falconers’ getting organized in some other countries of the area including Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Kuwait is the most advanced in the process. The Kuwait Falconers’ Club had a stand in the Arab Hunting Exhibition inst September and initial contacts were made there.

IUCN

Dr. Robert Kenward presented the World Conservation Council (IUCN) Working Group report for 2005. Members of this Working Group in 2005 were Robert Kenward (chair), Frank Bond, Timothy Kimmel, Anthony Crosswell, Hermann Döttlinger, Matthew Gage and Majid al Mansouri, with Patrick Morel ex-officio. Here is the report in full.

“The IUCN working group has this year contributed to advice for a student surveying contributions to wildlife populations through ownership of animals, for which IAF should thank several of you, and also Ramon Balbas. News also arrived of a satisfactory resolution to a discussion between FACE and IUCN about an anti-hunting organisation, to which IAF contributed a letter supporting the position of FACE. Both organisations were asked to confirm their acceptance of the formal position of IUCN (and CBD) on conservation through sustainable use.

We agreed for IAF to co-sponsor a resolution on volunteers proposed to the 3rd World Conservation Conference in Bangkok last November. The resolution was from IUCN's Sustainable Use Specialist Group, but because resolutions cannot strictly be proposed within IUCN, CIC, IAF and FACE kindly provided the necessary sponsorship. The resolution was important for anyone who volunteers for hands-on conservation, and hence potentially for falconers.

IAF’s Working Group chair has been working increasingly for IUCN, giving 7 presentations during the year, including one at the Falconry Heritage conference in Abu Dhabi and one at the World Conference in Bangkok. Fortunately, there were no issues of negative concern for falconry. Our vote could be cast for sustainable use resolutions in support of CIC, FACE and other groups that appreciate the conservation efforts of falconers, including the resolution to protect vultures from secondary poisoning by veterinary drugs in cattle carcasses. You will be glad to hear that the Indian government has now banned veterinary used of the drug concerned, Diclofenac. Perhaps more importantly, the main manufacturing company in India has switched to an alternative shown to be non-toxic. As Christian de Coune emphasised last year, this episode has a silver-lining for falconry, partly because it has been a chance for us to show our concern for other raptor groups, partly because falconry-based organisations like the Peregrine Fund have been practically involved in finding solutions and partly as a reminder that management work by falconers like Jemima Parry-Jones remains an important insurance for raptors.

The conservation world is gradually swinging back to welcoming hands-on people, after dominance for so long by a protection-based approach. This is an opportunity for falconers to show how they can be useful for conservation, and try to find ways in which recognition of the essential benefits of falconry secures falconry’s future. A talk at CIC's AGM in Abu Dhabi on behalf of IUCN showed how wildlife users might position themselves under a rubric of ‘no harm is not enough’, to move official attitudes from ‘how do we control these people’, to ‘we need more of such useful people’.

Hermann Döttlinger leaves the working group this year. Many thanks are due for his help.”

Report of the Baltic and Scandinavian States Working Group for 2005.

Members of the BASS Working Group in 2005 were Robert Kenward (chair), Jevgeni Shergalin, Tage Jessen, Frank Skårup Hansen, Darius Daugela and Magnus Wildt, plus Patrick Morel ex-officio. The Baltic and Scandinavian states of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway remain a challenging area for falconry. The working group is in a consolidation phase after several set-backs that were outside IAF influence, included the banning of falconry in Estonia and a decision in Finland not to develop a project using falconry for control of gulls as pests. There is positive news too, in that falconers have gaining increased recognition in Denmark and Lithuania. The chair would like to congratulate Tage Jessen, Frank Hansen and Darius Daugela on all the hard work that they and their helpers are doing.

The depth of misunderstanding of falconry in Fennoscandia (Norway, Sweden and Finland) means that we have a long hill to climb towards legalisation in those states. Appreciation of the benefits of falconry for conservation will not be admitted overnight. However, perhaps we can gradually apply an ‘Australian model’. Australia banned falconry during the pesticide era and became highly protectionist in its attitude to conservation. However, its experiences with successful conservation through use of the salt-water crocodile and through the benefits of robust responses to alien invasive species, are creating greater realism. Australia is now open to concepts such as ‘pest-control falconry’, ‘research falconry’ and even has a paper published recently on rehabilitation with falconry techniques. Perhaps a project on conservation through recreational falconry could eventually succeed, as pioneered through managing habitats for grouse in a national park in the UK.

What we do know is that nothing should be pushed without very carefully checking the water temperature first. The support of hunting organisations is essential. They can help sound out government authorities and their advisors. Please do not hesitate to ask the group or chair for advice, as we have a number of useful points of contact.

Sweden tabled a discussion on falconry at the Ornis meeting of experts for the EU Birds Directive on 29 September 2005, seeking a questionnaire survey of falconry as practised under the Directive and with particular reference to legal procurement of wild raptors, and the flying of hybrids and non-native species. IAF was kindly permitted to present to the meeting on the benefits of falconry for conservation and will assist with any survey of the EU states that is conducted.

CITES

Tony Crosswell presented the CITES Working Group Report. Following the meeting in UAE in May 2004 CITES has progressed from the conclusions of that meeting. At the meeting, delegates noted that BirdLife International, as the listing authority for birds on the IUCN Red List had found that the Saker falcon now qualifies for threatened status with the category Endangered, owing to the high rate of overall decline in the recent past. As a result of the contacts made during the consultative meeting, attempts would be made to establish a European action plan for the conservation of Falco cherrug. At the request of the delegates, the summary record of their discussions would be provided at the 51st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee. In December 2004 there were questions asked in the UK parliament about trade in Saker falcons and it is clear that concern is rising for this species. In December 2004 the CITES Standing Committee requested permission to proceed in the formation of CITES FALCON ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE. They have since sought funding for this initiative and a host country. The CITES Secretariat is also taking note of the work of the Animals Committee under the review of significant trade.

 European Action Plan for the Saker Falcon

Christian de Coune, representing IAF, and János Tóth, representing the Hungarian Falconers Club attended a two day Workshop for the Conservation of the Saker in its European Range, held in Csakvar (Hungary) 11-13 February 2005 with the cooperation of the Hungarian Government and with funds from the Slovak Government, BirdLife and its Hungarian partner. Note: the Bern Convention had entrusted to BirdLife International the working out of an action plan for the conservation of the European population of the Saker Falcon. In all 34 specialists from 11 different countries attended the event.

Twenty-first meeting of the Animals Committee Geneva

Review of significant trade in specimens of Appendix II species. The working group had two main tasks: to report on the progress of implementation of the Review of Significant Trade, particularly species already in the process (as per AC 21, Doc 10.1.1 (Rev 1)); and to select species for review after COP 13 (as per AC 21, Doc 10.2). On Tuesday 21^st May, WG2 of the Animals Committee reviewed the Saker falcon (Falco cherrug). WG2 considered the situation of countries that had not replied and whose trade data were insufficient, and agreed on a list of countries and species to be included in the next stage of the RST process.

·        request countries categorized as “of urgent concern” to impose a zero quota for Falco cherrug (Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan);

·        request those of “possible concern” that have not replied, to provide trade statistics and details on captive breeding facilities; and

·         exclude countries of “least concern” from the review.

The Secretariat cautioned about requesting information on breeding facilities in order to track the origin of falcons within the RST process, since this process does not deal with illegal trade. Europe and the United Arab Emirates stressed the need for the AC to have information on breeding facilities in order to conduct a well-informed review. The AC adopted these recommendations with a minor amendment, and decided to communicate concern on wild specimens being exported as captive bred to the CITES Falcons Enforcement Task Force. Under the species based review the representative for Europe (Ms Rodics) advised that Slovakia be added to the listed range states for the saker falcon. The Chairman also accepted her offer to distribute the European Action Plan for this species in the working group.

CITES calendar

21 - 23 November: CITES Falcon Enforcement Task Force, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

IAF Science Committee Report

Dr. Tim Kimmel presented this report. Members of the IAF Science Committee for 2005, as continued from the previous year, included Dr. Hermann Döttlinger (Germany), Dr. Nick Fox (UK), Dr. Matthew Gage (UK), Dr. Robert Kenward (UK), Dr. Timothy Kimmel (USA, Committee Chair), Dr. Jevgeni Shergalin (Estonia), and Janusz Sielicki (Poland). Two projects that have been addressed year included (1) continued development of a “List of Falconer Contributions” and (2) attention to the sustainable-use issue of “Wild Take” of raptors for falconry.

The “List of Falconer Contributions” has been a project intended to document the positive contributions that many falconers have made towards scientific research, wildlife conservation and management, veterinary medicine, the arts, etc.  The emphasis of these contributions has focused largely on wild and captive raptors and their prey.  Currently the document is more than 22 pages in length and features “short lists” of contributions of more than 70 falconers.  Most of the falconers currently listed mostly are English-speaking and from North America. The Committee is determined to expand the compilation to make it more representative of falconers and their contributions from other geographic regions.

The issue of “Wild Take” has been a continuation of earlier committee discussions that related to development of a sustainable-use document.  However, this issue in 2005 came to have a particular focus on the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Region.  Early in 2005, there came a request from a select few individuals in the UK to pressure for an allowable take of wild raptors for falconry.  The IAF and its Science Committee became involved at that point to ensure that any requests from the local authorities would be consistent with local and regional laws and the best interests of falconry.  In the UK, the British Falconers Club (BFC) also addressed the issue locally.

New IAF Vice-president for the Americas

Frank bond introduced Bill Johnston, the current Northeast Director for NAFA and NAFA’s candidate for IAF Vice President for the Americas.  The NAFA Board had formalized their endorsement of Bill in a vote that concluded on September 19, 2005. Bill made a short speech introducing himself. Bill was vice president of the Massachusetts Falconry & Hawk Trust for a number of years. He is a NAFA member since 1970 and will have completed his second two-year term as Northeast Director in January 2006. He has worked to promote falconry as a legitimate, sustainable field sport and has supported reasonable state and federal regulations. He met with Connecticut State Regulators to secure their commitment to the promulgation and enactment of workable falconry laws and testified at an open hearing during the review period. Connecticut is the forty-ninth and final U.S. Sate to legalize falconry. Together with NAFA President, Darryl Perkins, Bill successfully prepared and presented a proposal to the Massachusetts Division of Fish & Wildlife Service seeking their endorsement of the new federal falconry regulations. He is an active falconer currently flying a tiercel gyr x peregrine and a female peregrine and hawks both near his home and in Arnold, Nebraska, hawking prairie chickens, ducks and the occasional pheasant.

Frank Bond nominated Bill Johnston as the new Vice President for the Americas. Patrick Morel seconded him and, in accordance with IAF’s Constitution a vote was taken. Bill was duly elected and welcomed.

Delegates from 23 countries made reports at the AGM. These will appear in full in the 2006 IAF Newsletter. The following are items of news mostly drawn from them:

Zimbabwe

Tony Crosswell recalled to the membership a recent message and call from Gary Stafford of Zimbabwe who wished everybody well and assured us of falconry still surviving in the country in difficult times.

France

New laws after many years work include wild-take, hunting seasons, it is possible to hunt 12 months of the year for certain species. Lack of game makes this all quite difficult. 

Slovakia

Anton Moravcik, of Slovensky Klub Sokoliarovm, the delegate for the Slovak Republic drew our attention to a potential threat to falconry from animal welfare proposals in a new veterinary law draft. In the last decade IAF has acquired a lot of experience on this topic,  animal welfare issues are being incorporated gradually in the veterinary laws of many EU members. The practical realisation of this particular new law would be in direct conflict with other Slovak laws. Letters were sent to the relevant ministry recommending appropriate changes in the draft bill towards harmonisation with laws and practice usual in EU countries and offered the expertise of our advisory committee. Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter offered a paper on animal welfare and falconry. Dr. Richter is an acknowledged expert in the field of animal welfare and was involved in drafting legislation for the German and Swiss governments. He is highly respected in veterinary circles throughout Europe.

Denmark

At the same time as the IAF Annual General meeting was going on in the Czech Republic the Danish falconers led by Frank Skårup hosted around twenty five people, veterinarians, professors, zoo-directors, farmers and local lookers to a special falconry meet on Femern. The aim of this event was to present falconry to government officials and officials of the Danish Animal Ethical Council. The members of the Dansk Falkejagt Klub were satisfied with the day and are optimistic for the future.

Bulgaria

On 10 November 2005 the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Georgi Parvanov received Dieter Schramm, President of CIC and Hristo Mihaylov, President of the Union of Hunters and Anglers in Bulgaria (UHAB) and Head of the CIC Bulgarian Delegation, for an exchange of views on the subject of conservation through sustainable use. It is hoped this will also help IAF member Bulgarska Asotsiatsia za Zapzvane na Grablivite Ptitisi in their efforts.

Presentation of the President’s Awards

In recognition of their outstanding contribution to falconry President Patrick Morel made awards to Peter Sapara of CIC, to IAF Treasurer Antonio Carapuço, to Ray Cooper (our website designer). Then President Morel made a speech of appreciation for the work of Frank Bond as Vice President for the past 6 years and made a presentation of a Falcon bronze by Spanish sculptor and falconer Lucio Relaño. To add to Frank’s airline baggage allowance on the trip home it weighed about 14 kilos!!!.

The President himself was delighted to accept honorary membership of the Turkmenistan Falconers Club.

NAFA will host the 2006 IAF Meeting at their Kearney, Nebraska Fieldmeet. In 2007 the Oesterreichischer Falknerbund will welcome in Austria. The 2008 venue is currently not fixed, but there are hopes that it may be in Cape Town.

Dr. Robert Kenward attended this meeting in Nairobi and reports as follows: IUCN-SSC required technical support on raptors and bustard, both of which were the subject of resolutions at the conference and on which IUCN currently lacks specialist groups. There was an invitation for a presentation on the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines (AAPG) on sustainable use, which were also the subject of a resolution. The Convention on Migratory Species is the only global convention which focuses primarily on preserving animal species. CMS is administered by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Raptors are on Appendix II of this convention, which creates no great restrictions on use, and there are a number of legal instruments which specifically consider conservation through use (e.g. on the Houbara bustard). IAF does not yet have observer status to this convention, which has not previously specifically addressed raptor issues.

It was agreed with IUCN that IAF could be represented where its interests were congruent with IUCN. This is broadly the case for issues of sustainable use, although IUCN primarily advises on science-based conservation and avoids advocacy. The two issues of most immediate importance for IAF were the approval (1) of a draft Agreement on Asian Houbara Bustard and (2) of a Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation of migratory raptors in Africa and Eurasia (both document drafts and CMS text are available as pdf files from reke@ceh.ac.uk NB large files).

1. The Agreement considers only the Asian Houbara, which is migratory between northern breeding areas (mainly in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia) and wintering areas in the Indian subcontinent and Middle East. The sedentary African Houbara is excluded. The agreement has taken 15 years to develop, mainly in the care of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but recently urged forward by United Arab Emirates. States with a strong interest in use by falconers were represented by Dr. Hany Tatwany (KSA) and Dr. Fred Launay (UAE). The Agreement and associated Action Plan was the subject of a 90minute plenary session, during which delegations from several states looked for changes in the Action Plan, of which some may be used. To help bring things to a close, IAF made the following intervention. “The International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF) has followed the development of this Agreement for a number of years. IAF appreciates the huge effort to bring together a diversity of States and viewpoints on conservation of Houbara Bustard, greatly welcomes this Agreement and urges signing of the current draft without further delay, noting that any changes still required can (according to Article IX) be added as amendments at meetings of parties to the agreement.” This was used by the Chair to close the session. The Agreement will be signed in Riyadh in the next two months.

2. The Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation of migratory raptors in Africa and Eurasia had been prepared by the UK Department of environment, food and rural affairs (Defra). It takes a very balanced approach to falconry, although (thanks to the Saker) falconry is listed as a potential threat. In Item 8 of the MOU, which is non-binding on signatories and is therefore less forceful than an Agreement (CMS develops MOUs, Agreements and Treaties), “signatories endeavour to:

e) ensure that any utilisation of raptors (in particular taking for falconry and post-hunting release) is based on an assessment of the best available knowledge of their ecology and is sustainable for the species as well as for the ecological systems that support them;

f) prohibit the deliberate release of non-native species into the African-Eurasian region and take all appropriate measures to prevent the unintentional release of such species if this release would prejudice the conservation status of raptors.”

The participation in this UNEP-based CoP as a part of the IUCN delegation was very valuable, providing insights concerning organisation to handle difficult issues

Falconers are advised to keep up-to-date with their national laws and those of any country they propose to visit with their hawks. Regulations vary from country to country.

Gary Timbrell

Public Relations Officer for International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey

Kilnagnady, Upton, Co.Cork, Ireland.

Tel: 00 353 21 7330298 or 00 353 87 6650619

Email: gary1timbrell@eircom.net or iaf.informationbureau@dublin.com