IAF March 2019 eBulletin

Thanks to volunteer translators, this eBulletin is available in other languages. If you would like to take part, email muehle@iaf.org . If your language does not appear, we load  late translations onto the Facebook page

IAF president announces the creation of Working Groups

The IAF president announced the formation of regional and topic-specific Working Groups that will support him in implementing IAF strategy within different areas. These WG's and their coordinators are:

Asia WG – Vice-president Keiya Nakajima

Europe WG - Vice-president Janusz Sielicki

North America WG – Vice-president Dan Cecchini

Latin America WG - Vice-president Dan Cecchini with Leonardo Vargas of the GTLA

South Africa and Oceania WG - Vice-president Janusz Sielicki

MENA WG - Omar Fouad Ahmad

Administration WG - Mark Upton

Culture and UNESCO WG - Tony James

Education WG - Julian Mühle

Science and Conservation - Janusz Sielicki; the Biodiversity sub-group continues under Michael Greshake

Welfare and Ethics WG - Tom Richter

Women's WG - Alessandra Oliveto

The above WG's include members from both the IAF Board and the former AC, who will continue their efforts on behalf of IAF and falconry in their specific fields.

European outbreak of West Nile Virus

Dr. Pat Redig, one of the world's top raptor vets, has written a paper which begins to answer the concerns of European falconers about West Nile Virus (WNV). It is compact and concisely written for the falconry community. WNV has been present in Europe for decades, if not centuries, but it became virulent in the United States where it was formerly not endemic. What worked in the US may not work in Europe, it may be a slightly different strain of virus than the one normally found in Europe, or the one in the States, and more research is needed.

In most places West Nile has consistently been a mid to late summer disease. There is still plenty of time to vaccinate, depending on whether suitable vaccines are available in the location of the outbreak. The IAF is very fortunate Dr. Redig is willing to help us there.

It is recommended that a method to monitor/report cases on a website as they appear and a form is being developed so that we can put an online map showing outbreaks on our IAF website. Dr. Redig's information sheet can be accessed through this link.

Dear Falconers

            It is our pleasure to invite you all to experience a week of FALCONRY in our country PARAGUAY by the organization of the SECOND INTERNATIONAL FALCONRY MEETING IN PARAGUAY.

            The idea is to gather falconers from different parts of the world and share falconry days with friends. This invitation promises to make you feel the best we can in our country and our falconry. We will also cover some aspects about Falconry Laws in our country and Falconry in Latin América (GTLA) as well as raptor conservation matters.

            The dates for the meeting are from July 8th to the 15th of 2019.

            We are planning on going hunting with very unique, exotic and native raptors such as:

Bat falcon (falco rufigularis)

Peregrine falcon cassini (falco peregrinus)

Ornate Hawk Eagle (Spizaetus Ornatus) 

Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos)

            The programme is still under construction but it is basicly as follows:

Monday 8th: Arriving at Asunción International Airport, accommodation, falconry mass and welcoming dinner.

Tuesday 9th: 1st. Falconry day, traveling to Misiones Department and stay overnight.

Wednesday 10th: Falconry day in Misiones Department and return to Asunción.

Thursday 11th: Falconry near Asunción and workshop.

Friday 12th: Conference day: during this day we plan the meeting with authorities of the government, a press conference following aspects regarding falconry in Latin America (GTLA) and some other interesting subjects (falconry legislation in Paraguay, ethics, conservation, etc).

At night we are planning a Diner Gala.

Saturday 13th: Falconry day traveling to Caaguazú Department.

Sunday 14th: Falconry day near Asunción and Goodbye dinner.

Monday 15th: Return home.

Obs:

• The approximate costs of accommodation near the event are around 15 to 20 USD a night with breakfast included.
• Transportation vehicles will be provided by ACCAPP
• Participation fee 15 USD per person.

            For a good organization the dead line for assistance confirmation is the June 20th of 2019.

            Since the very good experience we had last year at the 1st International Meeting we are sure this 2nd one will be great too, we are hoping to see you all!

Dr. Vet. Raúl Palacios Princigalli

President ACCAPP 

tel: +595972 210848

asocetreria@gmail.com

FACE event in the European Parliament:

Managing Predators for Conservation of Bird Species

The European MEP InterGroup for Biodiversity Hunting and Countryside hosted this event inside the European Parliament. InterGroups consist of Members of the European Parliament with specific interests. They hold meeting such as this one to interact with other MEPs, the European Commission (which is the civil service of the EU) and the non-government organizations, like ourselves. IAF had a strong attendance there, with representatives of member clubs from the Netherlands and Belgium, from the IAF Biodiversity section of the Conservation Working Group and from the IAF Secretariat

The main conclusion was that meadow bird conservation requires close cooperation between hunters, farmers, landowners, bird organisations and authorities. Population declines of previously common breeding meadow birds in Europe such as the partridge, lapwing and curlew are often driven by low reproductive success resulting from habitat loss and high levels of nest/chick predation.

Dan Brown , RSPB, and Bertwin Elshof , Dutch farmer from the Agro-cooperative Lierderbroek, showed examples from the UK and the Netherlands of how farmers can be incentivised to create suitable habitat for breeding meadow birds. At the same time, Bertwin Elshof stated: "If meadow birds are not able to produce offspring, due to predation, habitat measures are not going to be effective". 

Joseph van der Stegen, European Commission , clarified that within the EU laws, there is an obligation for Member States to conserve bird species and that predator control is widely used, and necessary when predation is an identified as a threat.

Iben Hove Sørensen from the Danish Hunters' Association said: "It is important to clearly explain why predator control is important, as some people might not understand the role of predator control in conservation". Predator control is a positive tool for conservation

MEP  Karl-Heinz Florenz , President of the European Parliament's Intergroup on "Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside", said: "Meadow birds rely on agricultural land for nesting and foraging. When the EU is reviewing its agricultural policy, it should reward biodiversity friendly farming practices". 

MEP Bendt Bendtsen , Vice-President of the Intergroup, who chaired the meeting concluded with: "EU policy contains a clear obligation to conserve meadow bird species and their habitats. To achieve conservation successes for these species, there is broad consensus that we need to address predation, in conjunction with creating more and better habitat".

Proof of legal acquisition for live animals in Europe

The European Commission has produced a legal document on proof of legal acquisition for live animals. It can be accessed in 23 European languages by clicking this link.

Further details for 2019 IAF Council of Delegates Meeting

The registration form for the IAF 2019 Council of Delegates Meeting in Carmona, Andalusia, Spain, December 1st-6th is in preparation and should be available to Delegates and Club Representatives by direct email later this month.

The draft programme is as follows:

• Day 1. Sunday, December 1st - the arrival of IAF staff, board and AC at the hotel.
• Day 2. Monday, December 2nd
  - IAF 2019 Board and Advisory Committee (morning)
  - Reception of IAF delegates at the hotel.
  - Carmona Chairman’s welcome.
• Day 3. Tuesday, December 3rd.
  - IAF 2019 Council of Delegates Meeting, part 1 (Morning)
  - Tourism excursions for delegates companions. (Morning)
  - Free time.
• Day 4. Wednesday, December 4th
  - IAF 2019 Council of Delegates Meeting, part 2 (Morning)
  - Tourism excursions for delegates companions. (Morning)
  - Free time.
• Day 5. Thursday, December 5th
  - Hunting day.
• Day 6. Friday, December 6th
  - Hunting day.
  - Gala Dinner (with Flamenco event)
• Day 7. Saturday, December 7th
  - End of the meeting.
  - Check out.

ADIHEX August 27-31st 2019

Click image to read the prospectus or go to the website

Key role of traditional falconry in Mongolian cultural festivals

The Ulaanbaatar Winter and Eagle festivals were held in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar between mid-February and early March with an emphasis on promoting intangible culture and winter sports to national and international guests. The IAFs School Links program has been implemented within Mongolia by the Mongolian Bird Conservation Center, the Mongolian Falconry Association and the Mongol Falconry club, all three of whom participated in these festivals to showcase falconry and conservation techniques.

During the winter festival, several intangible cultural heritage events were shown, including national and international competitions in skiing, paragliding, snowboarding and shoot knucklebones. Over 20 Kazakh eagle falconers from western Mongolia participated to emphasize traditional Kazakh activities with golden eagles, saker falcons, peregrine falcons and goshawks.

Interactive activities in traditional yurts were used to highlight cultural elements and to pass falconry and conservation knowledge on to the youth in accordance with UNESCO’s inter-generational ethos. Over 2000 people participated in activities which included the creation of bird feeders out of plastic waste.

New IAF social media posting guidelines

The IAF secretariat and the education WG are updating the IAF social media posting guidelines and welcome further input from member organizations and IAF WG's within this drafting period. For suggestions, please contact info@iaf.org or muehle@iaf.org.

Individual Subscribers

Individual Subscribers assist IAF financially, there are a number of options beiginning at €30. They receive a copy of the annual International Journal of Falconry (see above) and can attend the Council of Delegates Meetings of IAF, where they have automatic Observer status. Please click on the green button.

They receive log-in details to the IAF members page on www.iaf.org to access areas of the site not open to non-IAF. 

A new page for donations is now open and member organizations, non members and individual subscribers a can all can make donations to specific projects in which IAF is directly involved: .General purposes, DOD's, Saker Falcons, Preventing Electrocutions, Pedix Portal, Schools Links Project and Vultures

e-Bulletin and eNewsletter Forwarding

If you would like to be added to the IAF Mailing List to receive these eBulletins and eNewsletters please click the button.

Note to Delegates and Club Representatives: please forward these IAF eBulletins to all your members .

Please also feel free to use eBulletin articles in your printed newletters and journals.