Falconers were asked to cooperate with the current campaign and donate some of their falcons to enable them to breed in the wild and support the preservation of this sport and hobby.

Al Qannas Qatari Society has announced a campaign to release falcons into nature to allow for them to breed.

The announcement was made during the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival, Marmi 2023, at the Sealine Area.

The society will begin receiving the donated falcons after the hunting season concludes this year, according to Mohamed bin Abdulatif Al-Misnad, vice-chairman of the society and deputy head of the supreme organising committee of Marmi 2023.

Any birds that meet the requirements will be released into the wild he said, noting that data from tracking devices placed on previously released falcons to determine their migration paths proved to be effective.

“Qatari falconers donating their falcons is a noble and humanitarian act, as they always used to do after the hunting season, and this has continued from generation to generation,” Al-Misnad said.

All falcons will undergo a medical check-up prior to their release to ensure they are healthy enough. The Souq Waqif Falcon Hospital and other specialised hospitals will work with the society to conduct the health exams.

Al-Misnad claimed that because Azerbaijan has been identified as one of the falcons’ primary international migration routes, the release of the birds there will take place as it did last year.

The Marmi 2023 event, sponsored by Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani and held at Sabkhat Marmi in the Sealine Area by the Al Qannas Qatari Society, will come to an end on Saturday.

The event, which was pioneered by Qatar to preserve and advance such heritage traditional sport, had garnered more local, regional, and global attention as one of the major festivals in its category.