The trailblazing Emirati bird trainer Jawaher Al Shamsi and her feathered friends

Beneath clear skies on a mild afternoon in Al Ain, an Emirati woman walks with purpose onto a grass field at the local zoo, accompanied by her first trained falcon, Falah. Seven-year-old Falah, whose name means “success” in Arabic, has distinctive brown-and-black markings, and was a gift from Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE.

Jawaher Al Shamsi puts on her leather gloves as Falah mounts the perch – his head is covered with a hood and he has a leg restraint on. A minute later, the hood is removed, and the falconer distances herself, raw meat in hand. When she calls out, Falah swoops towards the meat, his disciplined response is a testament to his trainer’s skills.

Al Shamsi isn’t your average falcon trainer – she’s one of the first female Emirati bird trainers, perfecting her trade over the past four years as a supervisor birds trainer.

“Animals love it when you show care and affection towards them,” Al Shamsi says. “As a token of their gratitude, they’d be responsive toward you.”

Original article by Asmaa Al Hameli

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The trailblazing Emirati bird trainer Jawaher Al Shamsi and her feathered friends