Abu Dhabi (Staff Correspondent): The story of a unique and surprising journey of a rich man from UAE and his pet falcon has created a stir on social media. A video is going viral in which it can be seen that an Emirati man is traveling by plane with his falcon – and the special thing is that this falcon has its own passport!
The video starts at Abu Dhabi International Airport, where an Emirati man wearing a traditional white kandhura is seen handling a beautiful falcon on his arm. A curious passenger walks towards him and asks, “Is it also flying with us?” The smiling Emirati man replies, “Yes, of course. It will travel with us on the plane.”
This brief interaction has caught a lot of attention on the internet, as this incident is completely different and exciting from normal travels.
Falcon’s passport – a special document
The matter does not end here. When the man was asked if he had any documents to identify the bird, he casually produced the falcon’s passport. The special “falcon passport” had all the necessary details about the falcon – such as its gender, origin and the places it has travelled to. The man in the video also reveals that the falcon is from Spain and is a male.
Amazed by this information, the traveller exclaims, “This is extraordinary.”
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Social media floods with reactions
The video has garnered thousands of likes and comments on Instagram. “The falcon is probably living a better life than most of us,” wrote one user. Another said, “This bird has travelled more countries than me.” Some people, however, appreciated the falcon’s owner’s humility and said, “He looked extremely well-mannered and calm.” “Does the passport have his picture?” one user jokingly asked, while another wrote, “These are real rich people – living in a different world.”
Special place for falcons in UAE
In the United Arab Emirates, falcons are not just considered as pet birds, but they are considered a symbol of pride and heritage. Falconry (the art of hunting with falcons) has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. This is why falcons are given passports, medical facilities and even permission to travel by plane in the UAE and some Gulf countries.
This unique incident has once again proved how unique and attractive the luxury lifestyle and culture of the Middle East is. While a common man has to complete many formalities for air travel, a falcon is not only flying, but has also become an international traveler with full dignity and documents.
