They immediately fascinated the visitors of Mondo Caccia so much that there is always a real crowd around the space that Mondo Caccia has reserved for the National Union of Falconers Hunters where you can admire about twenty of the most precious birds of prey that a group of enthusiasts presents at CarraraFiere with only one purpose: to make them loved, known and admired.
There is a very rare female of Goshawk who can be admired motionless and there is a majestic steppe Eagles, animals impossible to see in the woods and mountains such as the Buzzard, an expert hare hunter who perches on the well protected arm of the group of enthusiasts who want to make them known to the general public.
"They are beautiful and free animals. They are not tamed - says Alessio Grilli, 25 years old and eight militant falconer - but we can only train them because they are above all independent and very different from the mammals we have been used to for millennia.
We must, first of all, interpret their language and, to train them, it is necessary to spend a lot of time with them because they must perceive that the relationship with man, for them, is an advantage and not a danger. To train a falcon it takes at least two hunting seasons but, in the end, the satisfactions pay off for the effort ".
Today in Italy there are about 200 “falconers” who breed and look after predators of all kinds who are left free to exercise their talent without indulging in elitist attitudes that have characterized the past.
For this falconry, understood as a commitment to protect and preserve some species, is on the rise throughout Europe and in Italy, in particular and contributes to making known very rare species.
Hunting with birds of prey is regulated by the same laws that apply to hunting with shotguns, subject to the same hunting calendar; it is a hunt that is carried out over vast and open areas as it happened in past centuries.
Those who love and raise these animals begin a relationship with them that is destined to last for a long time because a goshawk lives over twenty years and an eagle over thirty: therefore, those who raise and care for them do so out of love and to ensure the best possible conditions, including hunting.
"Freeing our birds of prey only in areas where rifle hunting is practiced exposes them to objective dangers. Our birds, to exercise their instinct as predators, need large spaces and are certainly not competitive with traditional hunters. For this reason - says the president Giovanni Camerini, long-time falconer with over thirty years of experience - we are raising awareness in some regions , in particular Emilia Romagna, so that they reserve some areas for this type of hunting. "
It is everyone's wish, because these proud and rare birds are splendid even when they are alone on display, they really deserve it: to continue a tradition that has seen them collaborate with man but without ever losing beauty and absolute independence.
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