Once rich with wildlife, the Egyptian desert is fast turning barren. Yasmine Fathi reports Falcon-hunting has historically been a pet pastime of Arabs from the Gulf -- a symbol of their monetary prowess. In the past few decades, as their fortunes multiplied through the riches of oil, the sport was taken beyond their national borders -- huge hunting caravans travelling into Egypt to wreak wildlife havoc in the Sahara desert instead. "They hunted their own falcons to extinction and now they are here to hunt ours," explains environmentalist Richard Hoath. To those concerned solely with the thrill of the hunt, the attractions of Egypt are many. Due to its central location in the migration route for falcons moving to warmer climates during the autumn months, Egypt stands as tempting given the abundance of falcons. And despite the fact that a legal market for captive bred falcons exists in Europe, Hoath explains that Arabs such as these "prefer wild born falcons because they are the best". The Tahawi family in Sharqiya and the Walad Ali tribe in Marsa Matruh specialise in the capture and training of falcons. "Falcons are very expensive," Tahawi said, explaining that a falcon can reach LE300,000. "A hunting caravan can include seven cars, tents, a cook, as well as all survival tools needed for 10-15 days in the desert. A trip like this can cost millions," he continues, pointing out the kind of money being poured into the sport. Tahawi explains the process of the sport. First comes the catch -- the hunting of the falcon from the wild, Tahawi explains. Then comes the taming -- a process which involves sewing the falcon's eyes shut for 40 days. "After being in the dark for this long time, the falcon is usually disciplined," he explains. The second step involves teaching it to hunt for prey. "Actually they don't teach it to hunt, because that is what it naturally does. What they do is train it to come back with the prey," explained Hoath. To do that, the falcon is placed on a Kandara (a piece of wood with a sharp metal ending that is sunk into the ground). "The falcon is kept hungry for a few days. Then, a few days later, we put a pigeon three metres away, and elongate the rope, so that the falcon can get it, and come back to the Kandara. The length of the rope is progressively extended over a given expanse of time, until the falcon learns the message: We want him to hunt and bring back the prey." According to Hoath, species such as gazelles and the Houbara Bustard are becoming rare, and in some species cases, even extinct, due to the excessive hunting. Even Tahawi himself points out that with hunters there is a glutton's greed. "They are never satisfied with one or two gazelles," he says. "They are only happy if they capture 30." The sport is perhaps symbolic of a much greater national problem. Ignorance, bureaucracy and lack of resources have taken their toll. According to Hoath, Egypt has 100 different mammal species, six species of wildcats, 400 species of birds, as well as an incredibly rich marine life in the red sea. But it once had much more -- prior to the unruly indulgence of outside hunters. "In Egypt, in the last century we have already lost the wild boar, and the Ibex," explains Hoath. "Cheetahs and the Sinai leopard are possibly extinct, and crocodiles are also becoming extinct below the high dam." The question is how to address the problem's roots, for national environmental laws are far from lacking, but rather, are being widely ignored. "Laws are not enough," he says. "Families like the Tahawis should be told the damage their business is doing to Egypt's natural heritage," he said, pointing out as well that customs should have experts that can identify rare falcons that are smuggled out of Egypt. "Moreover, the Bedouins in the desert are used by hunters to get directions and protection. We can get them on our side. They can be the government spies in the desert." Last year marked perhaps the first sizable attempt to clamp down on the illegal trade, when an influential Arab figure was stopped trying to exit Egypt with nine falcons. "We confiscated the falcons. He was hunting illegally," Hoath says. But like all illegal activities, hunting caravans are carefully planned. Salama points out that some hunting caravans enter Egypt under false pretensions: "Some of them say they are coming to enjoy desert tourism. Others claim that they will use Egypt as a route to Libya," he explains. The problem is further exacerbated given that Egypt does in fact allow hunting in certain areas for certain species. "Hunting is allowed in Lake Nasr for example," Salama points out. "We definitely allow hunting of siman because it is abundant and is no where near extinction. We have to use the country's resources to make money," he says. "But then they [hunters] move out of the designated hunting areas, and start killing endangered species. How can we control them?" However, according to Hoath, the government itself needs to raise its own awareness if Egypt's wildlife is to be saved. He pointed that the government has been in the habit of destroying the natural habitat of many species. The classic example, he pointed out, is a very narrow and fertile strip of land along the North Coast, where birds and animals that found no where else in Egypt settled. "But that narrow coastal strip is being bulldozed to make room for holiday villages," he said. Hoath believes that cases like these provide perfect illustrations of how the government's interest in economic gain far outweighs their concern in saving Egypt's natural heritage. "Look at the way they are protecting the coral reefs in the red sea," he said. "They know if they destroy them, they will destroy the reason why people come to stay in Egypt. Plus these coral reefs create jobs for Egyptians." The problem, Hoath points out, needs to be looked at from an altered point of view -- not simply a matter of fauna. If saving the country's rich fauna is not important to many, he says, then they should look at it from an economic perspective. "There are people who would pay thousands for desert tourism; for a chance to see some gazelles and exotic animals," he says. "But if all the desert's animals are dead, who would be interested?"
