Falcons no longer avis non grata in Saudi Arabia

An eight-month ban on importing falcons into Saudi Arabia due to bird flu fears will be lifted next month, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

"Falconry is part our Arab heritage and is practiced by many of the kingdom's citizens," it quoted a statement by the Wildlife Protection National Authority as saying.

In January, the authorities culled 37 falcons after suspecting that five of them were infected with the H5 strain of the virus. No bird flu cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia.

The ministry of agriculture has set up a facility at Riyadh's airport to test imported falcons for any diseases, the agency said. Imports will resume on September 16, it added.