Blue scrub-clad nurses move swiftly across bright wards while conducting rounds. The beeps, blinks, and whirring of monitors pulsate operating rooms and radiology. Masked surgeons make incisions using all the modern technology of modern surgery while specialists stare at X-rays.
One thing is certain: There are falcons in the rooms.
The nation’s wealthiest residents are the desert birds of Qatar, a tiny wealthy emirate.
Falcons have been long revered in the Arabian Peninsula for being ferocious and adept at hunting. Today, they are sheikhly status symbols that recall a Bedouin past. Since the Paleolithic period when cave walls first featured drawings of falcons, the bond between falconers has inspired many.
Even though falconry has become less popular than it was in the past, the art is still being passed down through generations in Qatar and other oil-rich countries of the Persian Gulf. Clubs that teach the sport have sprung up all over the region in response to growing demand. There are increasing numbers of beauty and race contests for falcons.
Qataris spend a lot to keep their falcons healthy and the best falcons sell for at least a few thousand dollars.
“The hospital was established to support the hobby of raising falcons… it’s a pastime which stretches its veins into many generations,” Dr. Ikdam Karkhi, director of Souq Waqif hospital told The Associated Press recently. “Keeping them healthy and alive is an essential responsibility.”
Souq Waqif is a public hospital that provides expert care for sick and injured hawks. It houses approximately 30,000 birds per year. Owners and handlers flock to the marbled reception area for their birds’ check-ups, treatment, and repairs.
Falcon nail filing can be a very dangerous business as birds that have been transplanted from the desert to luxurious homes in Doha or raised in captivity are unable to find sharp surfaces to trim their nails.
Although the falcon hunt is a long-standing tradition, it can also be quite grisly. Sometimes, the prey is able to fight back against an attacker falcon by clawing its wings and hobbling its wings. Every feather of a falcon is essential to its flight. This necessitates careful feather replacement after a fight.
Doctors search through a variety of shed feathers in order to locate one that matches the bird’s species — a plumage with the same length, pattern and color.
Al Karkhi stated that if feathers are left damaged, it could lead to loss of fitness or even death. They must be treated.
Other hunt-related injuries are also treated by hospital surgeons. All that swooping, plunging, and gobbling causes damage to the beaks of falcons.
The clinic’s waiting room is filled with falcons, who perch on the wrists of their owners. In flowing white robes, the Qatari men treat the birds as children and stroke their feathers.
Hamad Al Meshadi, falcon festival manager, said that if a person neglects their bird, it is a big problem. He takes his raptor to the doctor for a routine medical checkup. It is amazing how much one can hold onto their bird. The love for the bird is amazing.”
Doha may have been transformed by oil wealth and global business into a futuristic capital. Doha boasts a stunning array of megaprojects and skyscrapers, as well as giant stadiums that will soon host millions of soccer fans in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Souq Waqif continues to see 150 falcons per day, a sign that Qatar’s ancient past is still alive and well.
Al Karkhi stated, “Even the look that falcons and their owners share, it is different from any other look.” Falconers “feel this bird’s loyalty — a fierce warrior out in the wild, yet a pet in mine,” Al Karkhi said.
