Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!grivel!gara!rjacobs
From: rjacobs@gara.une.oz.au ( ABRI)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: falconry
Message-ID: <4041@gara.une.oz.au>
Date: 1 Oct 90 04:26:34 GMT
Organization: University of New England, Armidale, Australia
Lines: 58

In regards to the last few postings about falconry in Australia, they have been
very interesting. However, my understanding of the reasons for the
outlawing of falconry in Australia vary from previous comments. I have spoken
to several people from the New South Wales National Parks, the
keeper of raptors at Sydney Taronga Zoo and a few ex-falconers who
now are raptor rehabilitators. The general opinion is that there has
always been a strong anti-falconry feeling by conservation groups, because
they have always associated falconry with bird smuggling. However, the
crunch came after the publicity of Operation Falcon reached Australia in
1985. For those that are not familiar with this infamous caper, I'll 
briefly outline the details.

In 1985, the US govt Wildlife & Fisheries (I think that's what they are
called) decided to crack down on the smuggling of gyrfalcons and goshawks 
from North America, so they set up an undercover operation. They coerced
an American falconer of dubious reputation to go to Canada and offer
money to certain falconers to catch gyrs and gos's for the Arab market.
When the operation was in full swing the US and Canadian authorities
swooped in and arrested several falconers, a lawyer and confiscated a few
birds. This became big news world-wide and falconry became a very dirty
word. However, the birds they confiscated turned out to be legally owned
captive-bred birds, the falconers (except 1 who fled to the middle-east in
panic) were all cleared of charges of illegally obtaining birds of prey
and attempted smuggling. The only fellow who was proved to be illegally
dealing in birds was the US govt planted falconer. But he was not presecuted.
The fact that Operation Falcon was a US govt scam and no illegal activities
by bone fide falconers occurred (or was proved) did not make world-wide news.
In fact, National Parks people here still do not believe me when I tell them
this. A good reference is Paul McKay's book `The Pilgram and the Cowboy'.

Anyway, Operation Falcon hammered the nail into the coffin for Australian
falconers. In fact, after 1985 the National Parks required a person to
be licenced to keep a raptor for rehabilitation purposes. Then in the last
2 years (I think) they stopped issuing new licences. So a person cannot
have a bird of prey in their care unless they were licenced before 1988.
The attitude of National Parks people to falconry is quite scary. When I
arrived back in Australia after 3 years in Canada, I rang National Parks
to enquire about the legal situation. I was told that to keep a bird of
prey was illegal and anyone doing so will be fined and jailed. They said
if I knew anyone who had birds I should inform them immediately. They wanted
to know my name, address and phone number, what I did for a living, had I
ever owned a bird of prey in Australia or overseas, etc etc. I'm sure there
is a file on me in some govt office by now.

Well, that's my understanding of why falconry is illegal in Australia. It
is a great shame, because falconers know their birds, spend a lot of time
to make sure the birds are well cared for, are interested in the general
welfare of the wild population of birds. Falconers promote captive-breeding
of raptors and much of our knowledge about reproduction and health of
raptors is derived by falconers who have spent the time, energy and money
to ensure birds of prey maintain a dynamic population in good health. As
someone stated a couple of postings ago, you cannot tame a bird of prey, you
can only work with its basic instincts. Even in captivity they remain
essentially the same as any raptor in the wild, except the captive bird
has a better chance of survival and a higher quality of life.

Ross Jacobs
rjacobs@gara.une.oz.au