The Saudi Falcons Club has continued its international conservation efforts under the Hadad 2026 initiative, releasing saker and peregrine falcons at Kazakhstan’s Altyn-Emel National Park in a carefully planned scientific program aimed at restoring falcon populations along one of the world’s most critical migration routes.
A Scientific Approach to Conservation
The selection of Altyn-Emel National Park as the release site was not made arbitrarily. Club officials cited a combination of environmental and ecological factors that make the park uniquely suitable for reintroducing these birds of prey: expansive open terrain, abundant prey populations, and a strategic position along a key falcon migration corridor that stretches from Central Asia into the broader Eurasian region. The park’s conditions provide the falcons with the best possible chances of adaptation, successful foraging, and eventual breeding in the wild.
The Hadad program, which has now entered its 2026 phase, follows a rigorous methodology that begins with rehabilitation and preparation of each bird before release. Scientists carefully assess each candidate’s fitness and suitability, identify appropriate locations for release based on field research, and then monitor the birds continuously after they are set free. GPS tracking and remote observation allow researchers to evaluate how the released falcons adapt to their new environments and whether breeding activity follows.
National Heritage Meets Global Responsibility
The falcon holds a place of exceptional cultural and historical significance in Saudi Arabia. Revered for thousands of years as a symbol of strength, nobility, and the traditions of the Arabian Peninsula, the bird remains inseparable from the national identity. Falconry was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016, with Saudi Arabia among the countries that championed its recognition.
But the Saudi Falcons Club’s work goes beyond cultural preservation. Saker falcons are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, making conservation programs such as Hadad a matter of global ecological urgency. The 2026 initiative includes not only international releases in Kazakhstan but also domestic releases of mountain peregrine and lanner falcons within the Kingdom itself, reinforcing the national commitment to protecting biodiversity across all habitats.
A Legacy of International Partnerships
Kazakhstan represents a natural partner for this kind of program. The Central Asian steppe provides one of the largest remaining wild habitats for saker falcons, offering the open skies and rich prey base that these birds require. The Saudi Falcons Club’s choice to work in Altyn-Emel reflects a broader strategy of building international scientific partnerships and extending Saudi conservation efforts well beyond the Kingdom’s borders.
The Hadad initiative is part of a growing national commitment to environmental stewardship under Vision 2030, which has set ambitious targets for biodiversity protection, wildlife rehabilitation, and the expansion of protected natural areas. Releasing threatened raptors into restored habitats is one tangible expression of those goals, merging a centuries-old cultural tradition with a forward-looking responsibility to the natural world.
