資訊來源於Mongabay，iowabirds，Animal Diversity Web，ResearchGate，CITES。
根據大河網的新聞報導，2017年在河南中牟縣閆家村，農民閆先生在自家蒜田中意外發現了一隻類似老鷹的物種。
Mr. Yan knew that most of the birds of prey were protected species, so he thought about taking them home to help them heal their injuries and then release them, but he did not expect that this idea would be very difficult to implement, because although this bird of prey seemed to be injured and had difficulty moving, it was still ferocious, and Mr. Yan's desire to get close to help it go home was hindered, and its sharp claws and scary beak were always ready to attack. Mr. Yan was quickly injured by it.
After tossing for a long time, I finally covered it in a cardboard box and brought it home.
After returning home, the bird of prey was still very uncooperative, did not eat meat, and did not drink water, so he was always vigilant over there against the kind-hearted Mr. Yan. Mr. Yan made it clear now: this bird must not be able to take care of it if he keeps it for himself. But it is impossible to release it directly, it can't even fly, and to release it is to leave it to fend for itself.
So he decisively contacted the Zhongmu County Forestry Bureau and the Forestry Bureau. When the staff arrived at the scene, they were unsure what kind of bird it was, but they could only identify that it might be some kind of falcon. After bringing the bird to the Zhengzhou Wildlife Rescue Station, the experts in the station identified and confirmed that it was a juvenile falcon, which is a national second-class key protected wild animal. After examination, it was found that it was due to gastroenteritis and malnutrition, which led to the loss of the ability to fly.
The Forestry Administration thanked Mr. Yan and presented him with a pennant in recognition of his conservation behavior. The Forestry Bureau said it was fortunate that Mr. Yan did not release him. There are occasional falcons passing by and staying in Henan, and there is no problem in releasing them, but this falcon is in a very poor state of health, and there is a high probability that it will die if it is released.
而講到獵隼，很多人的腦子裡都會冒出”價值百萬“的印象。雖然非常誇張，但這是真的！根據WWF世界自然基金會的暗訪數據，其在國際黑市的價格甚至高達80萬美元，摺合人民幣得是600萬元左右！
The cause of the story in the famous movie "No Man's Land" directed by Ning Hao, starring Huang Bo and Xu Zheng - the poached Altay falcon is a subspecies of the falcon. Around this Altai Falcon, more than a dozen people died in the whole movie, and the movie also said that the Altai Falcon is worth more than one million, which is indeed enough to affect the life of ordinary people.
So why are falcons so expensive?
Let's start with a brief look at the Saker.
The Saker is a swift bird of prey and its subspecies is found all over the world, with the exception of a few oceanic islands and Antarctica. The size of the subspecies varies greatly, from the 63 cm North American subspecies to the 0 cm subspecies in the tundra region.
Revered as a "noble god", the falcon appeared in the writings, paintings, and sculptures of the early Egyptians and Persians as early as about 3000 years ago. In the time of Aristotle and Marco Polo, the elegance and power of falconry were already depicted. In the Middle Ages, the possession of falcons, especially falcons, became a symbol of power. Sakers were regarded as a precious gift by kings and other nobles.
Why are they so popular? First of all, they are very majestic, elegant and violent, and they need not be described by me. The second is their super hunting ability.
An experiment in Germany confirmed that the Saker was able to identify prey species at a distance of about 320.0 km. With high-speed adaptive features such as a bullet-like head, short neck, broad shoulders, and long, pointed wings, the Saker is one of the fastest birds in the world. They are able to fly level at a speed of 0~0 kilometers per hour, and when diving in pursuit of their prey, the speed is even more than 0 kilometers per hour!
When the falcon spotted its prey, it would seem to pause in mid-air, flapping its wings a few times, and then swooping down with a dizzying speed. With exaggerated speed, the prey often fails to react, and the falcons will attack the prey directly with their sharp claws, knocking the prey away, and then they will follow closely behind, using their notched beaks to kill them to the ground.
Because Sakers are so cool, they have become one of the most recognizable symbols of humanity's efforts to save endangered species. Sakers have been closely watched since the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
However, their conservation is difficult, with poaching being the main cause of habitat fragmentation and the impact of pesticides.
In wealthy Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the demand for falcons is quite strong. Saker training, or falcon hunting, has long been a popular local sport. The wild falcon is especially sought after by enthusiasts, who still consider it a symbol of status and status.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Saker is currently an endangered species worldwide. Since the 40s, driven by the growth of oil wealth in the Gulf of Mexico, there are more people with money and leisure in the region, so the falcon hunting has become more and more "accessible" (nouveau riche) from the former aristocratic game. A report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 0 years found that poaching threatens more than 0 species of birds of prey around the Mediterranean, making it the most common threat to birds of prey in the region.
Despite international efforts to protect falcons, poaching and illegal trafficking remain rampant in the Middle East, especially in Syria. In Syria, the 12-year-long war and economic crisis have made the Saker business more profitable than ever.
The price of a falcon varies depending on its size, age, and subspecies, but it usually represents a significant fortune locally.
國外的一個新聞網站Mongabay曾採訪了敘利亞的一個偷獵者阿裡。阿裡表示光是去年秋天，他就捕獲了14只獵隼，每隻都賣出了高價，從3萬美元到10萬美元不等。阿裡表示自己只是抓，不知道怎麼找客源，據說從他這裏收購的中間商可以賣到近乎10倍的價格。
The most outrageous thing is that about the poaching of falcons is not just for money.
Over the years, this initially lucrative business has become an integral part of what the region's wealthy consider to be a cultural heritage, a passion that has been passed down from generation to generation, with falconers seeing it as a way to reconnect with nature. This activity is also believed to be closely related to the understanding of masculinity.
"It's like an addiction in our blood, and I'm poaching birds even if they don't sell for a good price," Ali said. “
It's no wonder that conservation initiatives for Saker falcons are struggling, not only because of their high value due to their scarcity, but also because the demand for them in the Middle East is culturally rooted and difficult to disconnect. Moreover, the demanders are rich and powerful people, and the resistance of the Saker to protect can be imagined.