Reintroduction of the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) into the Steppe Ecosystems of Ukraine

Kyiv Zoological Park, as a scientific institution, has been engaged in breeding and reintroducing rare Red Book animals for many years.

One of these is the Saker Falcon. This colorful bird of prey, which is one of the symbols of the free Cossack spirit, inhabits the Ukrainian steppe and is under threat of extinction. At the end of the 20th century, there were only about 50 pairs of such falcons left in the entire territory of Ukraine. By the beginning of the 21st century, thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian reserves and zoos, it was possible to increase the number of birds to 250 pairs, which is more than 1/3 of the entire European population!

Currently, 8 falcons are kept in Kyiv Zoo. And despite the war, our specialists manage to obtain offspring every year. And on October 19 of this year, the first release of this beautiful bird into the wild took place. What wonderful specialists from the NGO “Rewilding Ukraine” helped us with.

The released falcons appeared in one of our specially equipped aviaries in mid-May 2025. It was incubated and fed by its parents. It had almost no contact with people, so it perceived them as a threat, which is important for a successful release.

The falcon received its first flying and hunting skills at Kyiv Zoo, and honed its skills in a large adaptation enclosure located in the Tarutyn Steppe Natural and Ethnographic Park of the Bilhorod-Dniester district of the Odessa region, where it was transported on July 23.

Final training lasted three months under the supervision of employees of the NGO Rewilding Ukraine. The bird learned to maneuver in the air, track prey, and live in the open air in any weather conditions.

And finally, on October 19, the living Cossack symbol soared into the Ukrainian blue sky! The falcon immediately demonstrated that it had successfully mastered all the necessary flight skills, so it flew with the ease of the wind across our steppe until it disappeared over the horizon.

We will eagerly await its spring return and the future fluffy addition to the family of the proud Ukrainian Saker Falcon!