King of Bahrain receives two gyrfalcons as gift from Russian president

MOSCOW: Two rare gyrfalcons have been presented to King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as a gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin,...

MOSCOW: Two rare gyrfalcons have been presented to King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as a gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said in a statement.

"The gift highlights deep mutual respect and a desire to boost cultural and environmental cooperation between Russia and Bahrain. This is especially symbolic because this year, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and the Kingdom of Bahrain. We share the traditions of falconry, and cooperation with our Bahraini partners helps preserve rare birds and boost ties between the two countries," said Ivan Kushch, director of the ministry’s department for international environmental cooperation.

According to the ministry, the birds had been bred at the Kamchatka Falcon Center.

In 2023, Bahrain joined a framework declaration of intent to preserve gyrfalcons. The country is an active participant of the Falcon Day annual international forum, which takes place in Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok. Gyrfalcons are listed in the Red Book of Russia as a vulnerable species.

-News Feed