STANDARDS OF MODERN ZOO PRACTICE FOR GREAT BRITAIN - OUTLAWING OF TETHERING BIRDS
Sat - 5 March, 2022 11:17 am  |  548  |  A+ | a-
At present, a public consultation is undergoing, with regards to the proposed changed to the Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, from DEFRA.
These changes include outlawing the tethering of birds of prey, will not allow birds to be safely kept in their ventilated transport housing overnight, and state that if a bird is located at a demonstration area for over one hour, aviary accommodation must be provided. It states all birds must be flown using weight and daily records of this kept, and recommends that serious consideration be given to euthanising any wild disabled birds who cannot be re-released. If you would like to read for yourself, the section on birds of prey starts on p108 of the following document - https://consult.defra.gov.uk/.../Standards%20of%20Modern...
In short, these changes will make the training and management of captive raptors almost impossible. The ban on tethering will technically prevent the use of jesses, creance, and perch from which to train the captive bird. A juvenile, untrained falcon or hawk put loose into an aviary cannot be trained. Whilst it is undoubtedly true that permanent tethering without being flown would be undesirable, the best way for a bird to express its instincts is to be trained and free flown frequently. A life permanently in an aviary does not provide any freedom to exhibit natural behaviours either - as I saw expressed nicely by another falconer on a post about this, a kestrel cannot hover, nor a falcon stoop inside an aviary.
So please consider taking part in this public consultation to give your views on these measures. Not only is this detrimental to an important part of our heritage, but it will also mean that in future, birds of prey in public collections will be housed permanently, likely untrained and unmanned, in aviaries for their entire lives. It will probably also lead to the end of Mobile Falconry Exhibits like ourselves, and many others.
The following website contains the link to add your voice to those who are concerned about what these changes mean for the future of falconry-
CONSULT.DEFRA.GOV.UK
consult.defra.gov.uk
 
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