"I stumbled across the illegal peregrine falcon trade while out reporting on an unrelated story in rural Yorkshire back in 2023. We were in a quarry and someone mentioned falcon thieves were scaling remote cliffs like the ones surrounding us to steal chicks peregrine falcons are highly sought after as the planet's fastest bird."
"Police Scotland had been investigating this issue since 2021 after reports of a man bragging to his mates about how much he was making from taking peregrine falcon chicks from the wild. They were being trafficked into the captive bird trade, driven by demand from the Middle East. For these protected birds, swapping views of Ribblehead viaduct for the sprawling glass cities in the United Arab Emirates was an intriguing life trajectory."
"The most sought-after falcons in the UAE are given royal treatment. They get Emirati passports, jet around the world and have entire hospitals that specialise in their healthcare. They travel in Range Rovers and Bentleys fitted out with a perch between the front seats. An undercover reporter from ARIJ attended an Abu Dhabi exhibition where traders will happily discuss their desire for wild-caught birds (although they are not formally advertised, as the practice is illegal)."
Hundreds of UK peregrine falcon nests have been raided over the past decade to feed demand for prized birds used in racing and breeding in the Middle East. Thieves have scaled remote cliffs to steal chicks, and some traffickers have boasted about large profits. Police Scotland investigated reports tied to wild-caught chicks entering the captive bird trade. Sought-after falcons in the UAE receive extensive care, travel privileges and legal documents, while traders at exhibitions signal continued desire for wild-caught birds despite the illegality. Conservationists are alarmed as chicks vanish from protected nesting sites.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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