Seven chicks of a rare Saker Falcon released into the wild in the Altai Republic

In the Kosh-Agachsky district of the Republic of Altai, as part of the Saker Falcon reintroduction program under the control of Rosprirodnadzor, seven representatives of one of the rarest species of birds of prey, the Saker Falcon, were released.

“These seven Saker Falcons were released using the hacking method - chicks at the age of 3 weeks were placed in special adaptive enclosures, where they grew up, gradually gaining flying and hunting skills, and also received exactly the food that they would meet in a new habitat. As their flight feathers matured and grew, the chicks independently left the adaptive enclosures and took their rightful place in the ecosystem of the Altai-Sayan mountainous country," the message on the website of Rosprirodnadzor says.

The agency notes that it strictly controls all stages of the release of Saker Falcons into the wild and oversees the very program of reintroduction of a rare species, combining the efforts of not only government agencies and institutions, but also private nurseries, public organizations, and the scientific community.

“One of the features of saker falcons produced in Altai is special tattoos on the paws and cere, which do not cause any harm to the bird, but exclude the possibility of its involvement in illegal circulation - the appearance of birds with tattoos in private hands will definitely indicate the illegal hunting of a falcon,” the Rosprirodnadzor explained.

All produced falcons have special ornithological rings on their paws, which make it possible to identify birds from a long distance.

“The Saker Falcon population was practically destroyed on the territory of our country as a result of barbaric poaching and illegal import to the Middle East, where the Saker Falcon is highly valued as a bird of prey. The price of one individual can reach $100,000 on the black market,” the ministry said.

The saker falcon is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, in the International Red Book, the CITES Convention, the list of especially valuable wild animals. It is not only one of the most beautiful species of falconiformes, but, like all birds of prey, it occupies an important place in the ecosystem and trophic relationships.