AKTAU, KAZAKHSTAN // Despite watching hundreds of falcons released back into the wild over the years, Dr Margit Muller is still moved to tears when a bird of prey is returned to the wild.
“There is nothing quite like it,” said Dr Muller, director of Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. “When you remove the hood and see them look around, it is fascinating.
“The look in their eye, it is like magic. They are such a big bird but so delicate. It brings me so much happiness every time.”
Dr Muller is an expert in the specialised field of avian medicine. Her extensive knowledge means she is in constant demand to treat injured falcons from all over the world.
Last year alone, about 11,500 falcons were admitted to Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.
Dr Muller said there is now about a 20 per cent increase year-on-year in the number of birds passing through ADFH, which was established by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi in 1999 and is now the biggest centre in the world to prove medical and treatment services to falcons.
It means barely a night goes by without Dr Muller getting a phone call asking her to go to one of the hospital clinics and tend to a feathered patient.
German-born Dr Muller fell in love with falcons when she was training to be a vet and took a two-month internship in Dubai.
She later achieved a doctorate in veterinary medicine, concentrating her thesis on foot disease in falcons.
She also has a diploma in veterinary homoeopathy, and has specialised in veterinary dentistry.
Her vast expertise meant she was asked to lend her services to ADFH and became the director of the centre in 2001.
Despite plans to stay for a year, Dr Muller now has no intention to leave the place where she has interacted with tens of thousands of falcons.
“We are very lucky to be with this hospital that provides world-class healthcare for falcons,” she said.
“Everyday we get calls from around the world with people experiencing problems with falcons. They have a problem but they do not have the expertise.”
The demand for her time means Dr Muller gets little time off. She shrugs this off without complaint, saying her reward is watching injured falcons return to fully fit form.
In 2008, she received another reward in the shape of a coveted Abu Dhabi Award, receiving the honour from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
“That was a special moment,” she said.
Being the first and last contact for the falcons in the release programme, Dr Muller says her highlight is when the final bird in that year’s batch takes to the skies.
“When the last one flies away she steps back so we cannot see her tears,” jokes her colleague in the field Mohamad Al Baidani, of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation.
“I do,” says Dr Muller. “These falcons – they are our babies.”
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Read more in our Falcon release special series:
■ Return to the wild for UAE birds of splendour
■ The success of the UAE falcon release scheme
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jbell@thenational.ae
