'Pass on new knowledge': Bird of prey internship a Tasmanian first

Lilydale resident John Wilkes will spend three weeks at the world-renowned Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital in August, increasing his skills to then return to the state and "pass on the new knowledge".

Mr Wilkes has had a life-long love for birds of prey and helping them rehabilitate, and recently introduced the first northern rehabilitation centre for larger species in Lilydale.

He said the internship - during which he will take on lectures, clinical exams, and assist in practical rehabilitation of falcons - is an opportunity to continue his work in Tasmania.

"This will be extremely invaluable, I think, and I am so looking forward to it," Mr Wilkes said.

"This is exciting not only from the point of view of personal knowledge and bringing stuff back here, but also in building networks with other people working in the wider field.It will be about getting to talk with some people who are involved in the cutting edge.

"To be able to learn what I can there and then disseminate that here is so important."

The internship came about through Mr Wilkes' communication with the hospital's executive director, Margit Muller, an esteemed rehabilitator herself.

The medical institution has a patient influx of about 11,000 falcons yearly, according to its website, and services many of the country's falconers - those who employ birds of prey in a sporting setting.

The once-hunting tradition has progressed into one of the Arab world's great pastimes and even cultural landmarks.

The United Arab Emirates reportedly spends more than $27 million USD on the protection and conservation of wild falcons annually.

Falconry likely has a more than 2000-year history as a hunting practice in the Arab world, but has also been an almost worldwide phenomenon, cropping up throughout the ages in Europe and Asia.

In fact, so globally and historically prevalent has it been - its roots have been traced to more than 24 countries - that falconry was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, granting it a status as one of humanity's highest forms of expression and importance.

"In the UAE, falconry has an immense importance, and because of that they're on top of everything; all the rehabilitative techniques, the science," Mr Wilkes said.

"It's something they're deeply passionate about, so to go there is a bit of an honour because no one is quite at their level.

"I like to think that every day of your life is a school day - you're always learning. Being over there will be like that.

"At the end of the day though, it's about the birds: you might take a bit of something from their techniques and apply it and find it really works really well with some of our species.

"If that gets us the outcome of helping a bird, then I'm all for it."

Mr Wilkes will head to the United Arab Emirates in August.