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My
Article
I would like to thank all of you who wrote me all the
wonderful things regarding to my first article published in the British
Falconers' club journal "The Falconer" issued July 2001.
In this
capacity,I would like to give my special thanks and sincere gratitude to
Dr. Aurangzeb Khan,Zahid Ali khan, Bob Dalton, Bernerd Willacy,
Patrick Morel and last but not the least British Falconers' club and I
fell great pride in being a member of this marvelous club.
Dear Sir,
I am just a simple
person who keeps a great love, passion and sincerity for falcons, hawks
and eagles.This intense passion has led me to the path of falconry. Today,
I am 28 years but my affection and admiration for falcons started when I
was 12 years old and was living in Abu Dhabi. There, an Arab neighbor who
used to keep falcons often took my father and me to the desert to show the
hunting skills of these birds. This developed my interest towards falcons
and I started going with them every week in hunting season. Later I came
back to my country and the thing, which I really missed here, were those
marvelous birds.
Whenever I saw a photo, program or film of hawks or
falcons I became extremely excited. For years, I waited for someone who
could teach me how to keep and from where to get these birds but there was
none to help me. I got busy in my studies but there wasn’t a single moment
in which I had stopped thinking of these birds of prey. Then in the year
of 1995 there came a great change in my life. Once I went to the main
market in Karachi known as Empress Market for shopping. Walking around the
market I came to the place where birds and other animals were kept for
sale. This portion was surrounded with an immense stinking smell of animal
dirt, disabling ones’ breathing. I was intending to leave but suddenly my
glance fell on a small bird striking herself badly against the cage, which
had injured her beak and wings, causing bleeding. (Later on, going through
my books I came to learn that this bird was a Merlin). I was badly shocked
to see such a fine bird in pitiful condition. I told the bird seller to
look after the bird but he paid no attention to my suggestion. Instead he
told me “If you are so worried about the bird why don’t you buy it?” At
this I became very emotional and after a little bargain I bought the bird
for Rs.250.
As I said there was no one who could
help me in training these birds so I failed in training. But one thing
happened that the Merlin was restored to health after a little care and
attention. Later she became accustomed to my presence but the natural
desire to fly in her never finished. So when she was finally fit and
healthy to fly, I freed her. Now this started on that I bought a sick or
injured bird to which I felt sure that it would die if left any more hours
in the cage. For this I had to take several visits to the market and had
to observe carefully the condition of the bird. Then I bought the bird
treated him, looked after and finally freed him. The sight of these caged
birds saddens me and my inner feelings do not permit me to let them die
like this. In
this whole mission a friend of mine Aurangzaib Khan, who is a human
doctor, supported me. With his knowledge of medicine and surgery, we
studied different books explaining Raptor biology and disease so that we
could examine and treat |
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M.
Rizwan |
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Dr. Aurangzeb
Khan |
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Bernerd
Willacy |
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Patrick
Morel |
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Bob
Dalton |
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Falcon |
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the
bird more properly. The reason for treating
the bird is due to the absence of bird specialists or bird doctors.Among
the books, which I bought, the best I found is “The Birds of Prey” who’s consulting editor is Dr Ian
Newton. From the year 1995 to 2001 we have successfully treated and
freed18 birds, including Merlin, Kestrels, Hobby, Lugger, Bonellis Eagle
and a few hawks. Last year I bought a Lanner male whose wings had been
fully cut, preventing him from flight, and causing him great distress.
With a lot of care and attention he started accepting my visits. After two
weeks, we both decided to pluck his feathers. Otherwise the bird might
take months to get his feathers back. Now the question was how to do it?
We experimentally injected a little dose of local anesthesia into the
wings. Then we plucked each feather one by one with the help of an
instrument known as “artery forcep.” Finally the damaged feathers were
plucked without any unbearable pain to the bird. A few months later the
Lanner regained all the new feathers and was released to the wild.
On
the other hand I kept searching for a good falconer and this search took
me to an Arab falconer who visited Pakistan in the hunting season of 1999.
After a little discussion with him, he suggested that instead of visiting
the clubs of Arab countries it would be much better to visit the clubs of
the UK to achieve the best and most advanced knowledge. He gave me a
magazine “The Falconer and Raptors Conservation” of back date issue 1994.
For the first time in my life I was amazed to learn how successfully
falconry is flourishing in the UK. By the help of that magazine I bought
Diana Durman’s book “The Modern Falconer” and Jemima Parry-Jones Video
“Understanding Falconry.” Later, I started collecting informative articles
on Raptors and falconry through the internet. Among these websites related
to falcons and falconry, two in particular fascinated me. The first “The
British Falconers' Club” and the second, “The British Hawk Association”.
After going through both the sites I became a great fan of yours. No doubt
your years of experience and vast fund of knowledge has lighted a path of
the sport of falconry for many beginners like me. Hence I decided to share
my views with both the organizations.
Although I have learned a
lot through self-study, I cannot educate myself to that level of falconry,
which I seek. This has prevented me from becoming an able falconer.
Now
the aim of life has changed. After a deep consideration of the subject I
have decided to take up falconry not only as a hobby or sport but also as
a profession with a noble cause. Now it seems that falconry has become my
heart beat. There are many people in my country who like to attach with
falconry but I regret to say that not a single institution is present here
for their proper guidance. One result of this is a general
misunderstanding in that most thinks that falconry is only for Arabs or
the rich ones. I often try to convince such people by asking if a nomadic
bedu can keep a falcon then why not you. For this reason people do not
encounter these birds positively. Once I saw five juvenile Barn Owls
trapped in a cage. After four months I again visited the shop and found
only two. The bird seller explained that he had sold none, but the others
had died. Moreover a few years back I read that a lorry was caught in
Peshawar attempting to smuggle nearly 50 falcons (mostly Sakers. Lanners
and Gyrs) across the border. About 70 of these birds had died due to the
high dosage of anaesthetic injected into their bodies to make them
unconscious for easy travel.
I think that the main threat to these
raptors is man, whether in East or West. We need to change their negative
views by maintaining a team of devoted falconers, with the task of
visiting at least 100 schools per year and to educate our upcoming
generation with the lesson of “Love and Care for Raptors”. If we succeed
in convincing folk to hunt with falcons instead of guns, a lot of other
species of birds, which are in jeopardy because of the shooters, will get
safe.
I am sure that in future these little deeds and efforts will be
more rewarding than any other. Now the time has come to take these steps
for the betterment of falconry. Otherwise these raptors will soon become a
part of history. It is not merely a question that one or two birds are
caught or killed, but a whole system of their growth is effected in this
way. We cannot always depend upon the collection of funds for breeding. It
won’t help alone.
I am such an enthusiastic falconer that I cannot see
these birds illegally caught and caged or go into the hands of
inexperienced people. To help such birds and to educate people with even
the small knowledge of falconry that I have, is now the aim of my life.
Although sometimes I found myself completely alone in this work, yet the
fire inside me gives me the strength and courage to fight against the
obstacles and barriers in my way. I shall continue my efforts for the
benefit of long wings and broad wings until the end of my life.
I
don’t know whether what I have said would be helpful to you or not, but
all that I have experienced and observed has been explained to you. I hope
that I am not the only one but many others like me are working (far better
than me probably), and shall continue their struggle. In fact, I am not a
very well-experienced falconer, but if any assistance is required from me
I would be honoured to give it.
Thanking
you
Muhammad Rizwan Qureshi
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