Chapter 962
Appearance
When facing his two other partners, Evan displayed unparalleled confidence and investment acumen.
No wonder he reacted that way; there were just too many things that shocked him during his trip to China.
Folk performances, falconry skills, and top-level birds of prey—any one of these experiences would overturn his preconceived notions.
When Evan returned from China, he no longer had the pride he once had as a seasoned artificial breeder of raptors, all because he had witnessed Yue Feng's abilities.
The three of them discussed for more than an hour and reached a temporary consensus to wait until they received the returned video footage before deciding on further steps.
……
On the other hand, Salman, who had successfully returned to his country through proper procedures, rested for a day and then eagerly brought the newly acquired pair of gyrfalcon offspring with black falcon bloodlines to his private raptor research institute the next day.
Calling this place an research institute is somewhat inaccurate; a more accurate description would be a private falconry team's base that integrates raptor breeding, domestication, disease treatment, and research.
Salman was a genuine nobleman, and one of the wealthiest families in the area.
The raptor logistics team serving him alone numbered in the dozens, and the entire base covered an area of over 5,000 square meters.
Behind the camp, there is even a separate specialized raptor hospital, which has almost all of the world's top poultry medical equipment.
As mentioned earlier, falcons are much more active in the wild than eagles.
Given this reality, in captivity, the talons of falcons and other birds of prey experience much greater pressure than those of eagles and other birds of prey.
This is also the underlying logic of "the falcon wants to stand on the platform, and the eagle gets on the pole".
With more falcons, problems are bound to arise. Salman had several excellent falcons that were ruined by fowl cholera.
This raptor hospital was built by him specifically to address various health problems of raptors raised in captivity.
Of course, we are still in the stage of accumulating experience and are far less professional than other hospitals treating human diseases.
Salman personally led two gyrfalcons, which had come from afar, through the gate of the training area.
"Nasser, are you busy? Come and see the top-of-the-line falcon I just brought back from abroad!"
Salman was excited and shouted to his falconry expert.
Nasser was a middle-aged man in his forties, and his face showed signs of aging due to years of outdoor activities.
"Mr. Salman, have you brought back two new purebred white gyrfalcons? May I ask, where are Haz and Ryder?"
Nasser looked the purebred white falcon his boss had brought back up and down, and asked about its two names with concern.
Haz and Ryder are the names of that pair of hybrid falcons. Nasser gave each of his eagles a unique name, and he could recognize each falcon even without looking at the leg bands and identification tags.
Salman grinned: "Those two hybrid falcons stayed in China and were traded to my new friend for this pair of white gyrfalcons that I have now!"
"This……"
Nasser was slightly taken aback when he heard that the two falcons he was in charge of had been traded, and he couldn't quite understand it.
In places like the Middle East, purebred white gyrfalcons aren't actually that rare; at least, if you're willing to spend the money, it's not difficult to get one.
In some countries within the Arctic Circle, they have natural distribution and normal reproduction, such as Iceland.
In contrast, the acquisition of that pair of hybrid falcons was quite different.
These are the two best offspring of the first batch of artificially hybridized falcons. In Nasser's view, trading precious hybrid falcons for a pair of ordinary white gyrfalcons is a losing proposition.
"Are you saying that I made a deal that resulted in a loss of my principal?"
Salman did not rush to explain, but instead looked at his subordinates with a smile.
Nasser scratched his head, but ultimately didn't say anything too harsh.
A boss is a boss; even if two people have a good relationship, there are some things that can't be said.
Seeing Nasser scratching his head and remaining silent, Salman laughed and said, "Haha, I don't like doing business at a loss!"
I was invited to China this time and witnessed truly top-notch falconry skills and the finest falcons!
These two eagles cost me a fortune to get them back!
"Are they any different? They look like ordinary white gyrfalcons. Given our country's dry climate and high temperatures, these falcons aren't as adaptable to their environment as hybrid falcons!" Nasser asked curiously.
"Of course there are differences. In fact, when it comes to the role of these two eagles, they are not simply combat hunting eagles, but training eagles and breeding eagles!"
"I can understand the breeding eagles; perhaps their bloodline is exceptional! What does 'coach' mean?"
I believe that my personal ability is quite good in the category of training falcons for actual combat.
Expecting two imported falcons to be trainers? That doesn't align with the objective realities of falcon domestication!
Nasser still maintains his own fixed understanding.
Salman used to share Nasser's ideas, but after his horizons were broadened at the Yuefeng Exhibition, he now has a completely different way of thinking about these things.
"No, our previous training methods and actual combat performance were far from reaching the upper limit of the hunting capabilities of top raptors! Guess what I saw at the Eagle Hunting Festival in China?"
"what?"
"I saw it. A pair of adult female gyrfalcons, together with a local hunting dog, worked together to kill an adult male sika deer!"
I also witnessed firsthand that the female gyrfalcon easily kicked a 40-50 pound adult roe deer to death!
"This...this is impossible! Male sika deer have sharp antlers, how could a pair of eagles possibly hunt them down! Even an ordinary hunting dog would have a hard time restraining a male deer!"
Nasser shook his head repeatedly after hearing this; this level of combat was completely beyond his professional understanding.
To put it more vividly, Salman's statement is like telling someone that someone casually stabbed the USS Ronald Reagan to the bottom with an ordinary pencil sharpener.
Salman said, "I know you may not believe it, but this pair of gyrfalcons also possess similar hunting skills."
I'll give you half an hour to prepare. We'll set off in half an hour. Our destination is Hunting Ground Number One, to use the falcon we just brought back to unlock the adult gazelles!
Nasser was shocked to hear his boss say that.
Adult gazelles are generally medium-sized, weighing over 20 kilograms, and even smaller sub-adults weigh over 15 kilograms.
This was a prey that hybrid falcons had never successfully challenged and unlocked before.
Shocked as he was, since his boss said he could do it, as a subordinate, he naturally had to cooperate fully.
Nasser quickly changed into his professional hunting attire and then drove two Toyota FJ40s, which were used for hunting trips, out of the parking lot.
A hunting team of a top-tier wealthy individual like Salman travels with a considerable entourage, consisting of at least a dozen people, including the main hunters and support staff. Nasser greeted the hunting team, and everyone quickly assembled.
Once Nasser got into his boss's car, he drove while holding the steering wheel, and asked curiously, "Don't these two gyrfalcons we brought back need any adjustments? Did you have them assessed by the system?"
Salman shook his head: "Before returning home, I had already conducted a preliminary assessment and test. The eagle is very controllable. What the eagle brought back were its fixed lures and whistles!"
On this hunt, we aim to hunt our target prey in one go!
I brought back advanced falconry knowledge from abroad this time!
As long as the two eagles perform well in actual combat, it won't be long before our falcons can hunt at a much higher level!
"Red foxes are no longer worthy of our pursuit!"
"Okay, hopefully I'll do well!"
Nasser nodded, pressed the accelerator hard, and the car quickly accelerated.
The No. 1 hunting ground, which the Salman hunting team frequents, is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the falconry research institute's headquarters.
By the time we arrived at the hunting grounds, it was already past 10 a.m.
At this time of day, the outdoor temperature is around 30 degrees Celsius, which is significantly more comfortable than the summer temperatures that often approach 40 degrees Celsius.
However, this comfort is relative. The locals and the local eagles have become accustomed to this dry and hot climate. By the end of September, it was already much better than the most uncomfortable season of summer.
However, for the two white gyrfalcons that grew up in the Northeast, the current ambient temperature is clearly a bit too high.
Gyrfalcons prefer cool temperatures and dislike heat. Although 30 degrees Celsius is still within their tolerance range, it still has a significant impact on their physical functions and athletic performance.
Nasser knew the characteristics of these gyrfalcons, which is why he felt that the boss was being a bit hasty in changing the eagles.
Upon arriving at the hunting grounds, Nasser took a careful look at the two white gyrfalcons.
The two eagles hadn't even landed to work yet; they were just traveling by car when their beaks were already slightly open—a normal reaction to the cooling temperature.
If it were a hybrid falcon of gyrfalcon and saker falcon, or a hybrid falcon of Mediterranean falcon, the situation would be much better.
“Boss, these two eagles don’t seem to be used to the high outdoor temperature! Look at their beaks, they’ve already started opening them to cool down!” Nasser said truthfully.
Salman had already considered these issues; he had specifically inquired about Yue Feng's situation before returning home.
Yue Feng's answer was that the physical condition of these eagles is almost no different from that of wild gyrfalcons. In outdoor conditions of 30 degrees Celsius, they only need a short period of adaptation before they can hunt normally.
Of course, it's best to avoid high-intensity battles during the hottest part of the day, as eagles may suffer from heatstroke if they get too hot.
Salman shook his head: "It's alright. These two trainer eagles won't have much time for actual combat. They should be able to finish the fight before their bodies overheat!"
"Let the search team begin operations! Report any sightings immediately!"
"Ok!"
Soon, a search team vehicle following the convoy began to move, searching along several fixed marked areas where prey was likely to be active.
After all, it was a hunting ground they frequented, and within half an hour, they had found their first decent prey.
"Boss, we've spotted a waders up ahead! Should we release the falcon?" came the inquiry over the vehicle's radio.
Nasser turned and glanced at his boss, Salman.
The bald bustard is a very typical large bird in the Middle East, with adults weighing several kilograms, and is one of the traditional prey of falconers.
In the past, Salman would never have missed such an opportunity; watching falcons chase and drive away harbingers from the shade of an off-road vehicle would have been a top-notch visual experience.
However, this time Salman completely disregarded such traditional tricks.
"Abandon the current prey and continue the search. Target: adult gazelle!" Salman said in a completely flat tone.
"Roger that!"
The search team continued forward, with large clouds of sand billowing up on both sides.
The convoy continued searching for about half an hour when two gazelles, one large and one small, suddenly appeared from the edge of a small desert thicket.
"Target prey spotted at 11 o'clock! There are two: an adult mother and a sub-adult cub!"
"Roger that, boss. Gazelle spotted! It's near car number one, at the eleven o'clock position!"
As Nasser reported, he glanced at Falcon, on whom his boss had placed high hopes.
The two white falcons still had their beaks slightly open, and Nasser wasn't too optimistic about this attempt.
Salman wasn't worried at all. He used his water bottle to wet the eagle's beak and then casually took off the hats of the two gyrfalcons.
Soon, the two falcons adjusted to the light outside, and even their slightly open beaks closed.
Neither of the eagles had ever seen such a vast, desolate environment. Instead of being wary, the unfamiliar surroundings made them somewhat excited.
The SUV quickly came to a stop, and Salman got out, his hands on the eagle's back.
shhhhh!
The moment he spotted his prey about fifty meters away, Salman blew the eagle whistle that Yue Feng had given him.
The whistle is the command. The two eagles loosen their feathers, flick their tails to expel some droppings, and then quickly take off, circling overhead.
This shows that Yue Feng's two eagles are well-trained.
They are neither box hunters nor free hunters, but rather very standard swarm hunters.
First, gain altitude, then chase the target, and end the battle with a dive attack.
With a high-altitude dive attack, the destructive power is far greater than that of a low-altitude harassment attack.
At a height of about fifty meters, the two falcons stopped climbing and instead chased after the gazelle that had fled.
shhhhh!
The whistle blew again, and the smaller male falcon arrived first, using a feint to force the larger female gazelle to change its escape route.
The next second, the larger female falcon came hurtling in with a sharp whooshing sound, and kicked out from mid-air!
Snapped!
With a sharp crack, the gazelle, kicked in the vital spot behind its ear, plunged headfirst into the sand, its hind legs kicking unconsciously.
The most vulnerable posterior brain nerve center was damaged, and it seemed he was doomed.
From taking off and hovering, to launching a dive attack upon hearing the whistle, and then taking down the first prey, it took less than a minute.
There was no long-distance pursuit and harassment, no repeated and embarrassing escapes, and no repeated feint attacks.
Simple, straightforward, and efficient!
The first-generation gyrfalcon chick produced by Yuefeng Falcon Farm made its debut in the Middle East, completely impressing Nasser, a professional falconer with decades of experience. (End of Chapter)