Kuwaiti expatriate saves birds of prey in the North Caucasus

North Caucasus residents have set up a nursery for birds of prey, where they raise them, treat them, and prepare them for life in the wild. Dozens of falcons found shelter in the nursery and have been released back into the wild.

Muhamed Al Sahmeri, director of the nursery, moved to the North Caucasus from Kuwait 25 years ago. Since then the local wildlife has become his only interest and concern.

“There are very few falcons left here in Caucasus. Their nests can be easily counted – there are only 5 of them or even fewer. This aviary was built to breed and preserve birds of prey and later liberate them,” he says.

Muhamed has built a gallery with open-air cages right in his courtyard. Every cage is a home for birds' families. Ill birds are in separate cages, where only Muhamed can go. He has become a specialist not only in falconry and ornithology, but in veterinary science as well. His profession of surgeon proved useful to him. He treats birds and even operates on them. Muhamed has already rescued around 10 birds. The recovered got back to the mountains. And the invalids will be taken to the zoo.

The wildlife conservation centre has become home for many rare species of birds. Some of them never fly far from here and have built themselves a second life with nests around the village.