Al Ain City Municipality emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of falcon enthusiasts and practitioners of hunting and equestrian sports in Al Ain, through a set of preventive measures, awareness guidelines, and emergency response plans—particularly during the rainy season and periods of unstable weather.
Shamsa Khalfan Al Neyadi, Director of the Emergency and Business Continuity Department at Al Ain City Municipality, stated that the Municipality places special attention on falconers and practitioners of falconry, noting that safeguarding the wellbeing of both the falconers and their birds is part of the Municipality’s responsibility to the community. This aligns with its commitment to ensuring that traditional hobbies are practiced with the highest levels of safety and security.
She added that the Municipality’s emergency and response teams operate around the clock in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure immediate action on reports concerning the safety of visitors to desert and open areas. The Emergency and Contact Center (993) receives reports related to infrastructure and potential hazards.
Al Ain City Municipality affirmed that community awareness is a key pillar of its strategy. It conducts targeted awareness campaigns for falconry enthusiasts during specialized events and exhibitions to raise understanding of risks, proper safety behaviors, and ways to handle emergencies while practicing hobbies in desert environments.
The Municipality urged owners of farms, stables, and falconry enclosures to adhere to precautionary measures, including inspecting and securing electrical installations to prevent accidents, reinforcing fences and metal or wooden panels to withstand strong winds, relocating animals to safe areas during rainfall or high winds, and reporting any electrical faults, accumulated rainwater, or fallen fences or trees to the Emergency Center (993). These steps help ensure rapid response and minimize potential risks.