A rare falcon was sold at an auction in Libya for a record price of 2 million and 250 thousand Libyan dinars (450 thousand dollars), making it the most expensive falcon in the world. A group of hunters won the bird during a hunting trip south of the city of Tobruk in eastern Libya. The high price of the falcon is due to its lineage, which is among the rarest in the world, as it is of the "Peregrine" type, locally known as "Abhariah."
The falcon was purchased by a Libyan merchant and bird breeder named "Mohammed Al-Saadawi" at a public auction held in Tobruk, attended by numerous traders and falconers, for an amount equivalent to 450 thousand US dollars. Mohammed Al-Saadawi stated in a local media interview that "a group of hunters managed to catch the Peregrine falcon, known locally as 'Abhariah', which is a female bird, near the Dweidar well south of Tobruk."
He added, "I bought it for 2 million and 250 thousand dinars (equivalent to 450 thousand dollars), and this price is considered the first in the Arab world, since I closely follow the market and prices of birds in the Gulf region." Al-Saadawi spoke about the characteristics of this rare falcon, saying, "The bird's size, which is the desired size, is 16 cm in width and 16 in length, and its weight is 1250 grams, and the feather color from the chest is white, which is extremely rare."
Libya is known for being home to many hawks and wild birds, boasting a variety of species, including falcons of different types, the most significant being the "Peregrine," as well as some rare migratory birds that breed and make eastern and southern Libya their home due to the natural environment that suits the lives of these birds, along with some species of wild vultures.
During this period, hunters are keen to go out and catch falcons, especially in southern Benghazi and Tobruk, while traders and falconers anticipate the competition to purchase the falcons that are caught. Libyan birds are among the most expensive in the world, with prices reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. For instance, a Peregrine falcon was sold in 2017 to an Arab falconer for 550 thousand Libyan dinars (395 thousand dollars), and another falcon for 480 thousand Libyan dinars (345 thousand dollars).
