Police in Russia’s Siberia have detained nine Syrian nationals on charged of poaching rare Saker falcons, a local Interior Ministry department said.
The nine men were detained in the Western Siberian republic on Khakasia on Wednesday.
“During a search, police have seized 67 pigeons, which are used as a lure for falcons, 114 snare traps and five [falconry] hoods from the men,” the report said.
The Saker Falcon is listed as an endangered species by BirdLife International, an international umbrella organization for bird protection societies, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
In line with Russian laws, poaching the Saker Falcon is punished by a fine of up to 2,000 rubles (some $60).
Every year, thousands of falcons are caught and sold illegally at the black market, particularly in Arab countries where the price of one such bird ranges from $3,000 to $30,000.