RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Three seconds. Saudi Arabia’s ambitious falcon reintroduction program often hinges on the brief moment when a falcon is shown it new home for the first time. Under new protocols being developed under the program a hooded falcon is brought to its potential habitat for the first time under a hood. Bred in captivity the Saudi Arabia’s wilderness can at first seem mysterious. The birds must be introduced slowly to the habitat.
“You uncover the hood for 3 seconds. Then you cover it back and take it home,” says Hussam Al-Huzaimi, the CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club,” Then three days later you bring it back and do something different. This way you start to intrigue the bird. It starts to get interested in what it is seeing and feel safe.”
