Falconry remains popular in Dubai

This is the National Falcon Center, with 20 shops that sell everything falcon. This 29 year old falconer says his father taught him falconry. He says nowadays it’s a tradition that’s in their blood and that they love. He says the birds must be kept healthy because they’re not cheap. His forefathers didn’t pay this much for falcons, in fact they caught them in the wild. Falconry originated here and the locals are proud of their heritage: falcons are on everything in the UAE, including money and stamps. This falconer is a mix of modern and traditional Dubai. His falcons are perched on the backseat. He turns on a drive to the desert, or what used to be the desert. A few square miles of land look like desert at first but there are brand new blacktop streets half covered with sand, where developments are going up. The man uses this area to train his falcons. His brother looks on and says it takes years to be a good falconer. The UAE hopes to preserve this kind of knowledge and have petitioned government organizations to preserve this tradition and heritage.