by VICTORIA AITKEN
Falcon waiting room at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital in the United Arab Emirates. PHOTO/Victoria Aitken
Ever heard of a hospital which is an international tourist attraction recommended by guidebooks and airlines? Where state of the art medical technology is virtually limitless? And whose patients are all VIPs yet never complain? Welcome to Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital in the United Arab Emirates. A guided tour tells you all about these beloved birds and the dedication and achievements of award winning veterinarian Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller.
To understand the hospital in its true perspective, you need to know that the falcon is the national bird and patriotic emblem of Abu Dhabi. This desert sheikhdom, now the world’s eighth largest oil producer, is proud of its Bedouin roots and the Bedouins adore their falcons. These birds of prey are to a tribal Abu Dhabian what a dog is to a countrified Englishman – a friend, fellow sportsman, hunter, travelling companion and best buddy. So when one of these prized and pricey birds falls ill, only the very best of medical treatment will do.
Since the days of the Knights of the Round Table, falcons have had their place in England’s folklore, heraldry, and royal hunts of the sun. But falconry was never a people’s sport or a national obsession the way it is today in the Arabian Gulf. If King Arthur had a bird that was not flying high enough or swooping fast enough, he would have probably wrung its neck. Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, built a hospital for his ailing falcons near his favorite oasis of Al Ain – a showpiece of medical excellence rising in the sand dunes as a symbol of the caring relationship between top Bedouins and their top birds.
Twelve years ago the Falcon Hospital of Abu Dhabi was opened both as a treatment and research centre. Over 6,000 birds a year use its operating theatres, anesthetics, digital x-rays, incubators, endoscopy, ophthalmology, and general medical facilities under the supervision of 35 veterinary specialists. The result has been a revolution in falcon heath care.