waiting room at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital
Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is the world’s largest falcon hospital and a world leader in falcon medicine. Since opening in 1999, it has treated over 55,000 falcons. The hospital also treats other kinds of birds, has expanded to include a clinic for pet cats and dogs and a shelter for strays and operates a trap-neuter-release program for feral cats and dogs.
UAE is committed to the protection and conservation of wild falcons and in addition to their healing and sheltering work the hospital operates a release program aimed at growing the populations of Peregrine Falcons and Saker Falcons in the wild.
Since 2007, the hospital has been open to tourists. Visitors get to meet a few resident falcons and learn about the birds and the tradition of falconry in the Arabian Peninsula.
The falcons are anesthetized for procedures.
pedicure
Falconry is an ancient practice, going back thousands of years, which uses trained birds of prey for the hunting of birds and small mammals. Today it’s a popular sport but is also still used by Bedouins to put food on the table. Females are used most often because they are bigger and stronger than males. Falcons can spot their prey from a mile away, fly up to 100mph and dive at speeds of over 200mph!
All of our tours to Abu Dhabi include a visit to the Falcon Hospital. Visitors tour the facility and watch as a bird undergoes medical and grooming procedures. The birds are there to be treated, not to put on a show, they don’t endure any poking and prodding during a tourist visit that they wouldn’t experience otherwise in the process of getting healthy.
Many hotels offer falcon demonstrations.
a falconry demonstration at Al Maha Desert Resort
a falconry demonstration at Al Maha Desert Resort
a falconry demonstration at Al Maha Desert Resort
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