TRC’s reputation as an international leader in raptor medicine has long drawn veterinary professionals from around the world who come here to hone their skills and bring their knowledge back to their home countries. In June, veterinarian and falconer Dr. Agustín Anzoategui traveled from Dubai, where he works with high-performance racing falcons, to complete a 3-week externship, working and learning alongside TRC’s veterinary staff.

During his childhood in his native Argentina, it was his father’s love of falcons that inspired Dr. Augustin to become a raptor veterinarian. In the pioneering text Biomedicine in Raptors, co-edited by TRC cofounder Dr. Pat Redig, he saw the chapter “A Research Hospital for Falcons” by Dr. Kenton Riddle, about a state-of-the-art falcon hospital in Abu Dhabi, which led to his eventual work there.

Falconry holds tremendous importance in the Middle East and is deeply rooted in Bedouin culture. For centuries, the Bedouin fed themselves through the winter by capturing falcons during their seasonal migration south. After hunting with the birds, they released the falcons back into the population as they migrated north.

Of his time at TRC, Dr. Agustín said, “Working in their state-of-the-art hospital with incredible species like bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, American peregrines, and Cooper's hawks was spectacular. The veterinary staff is so knowledgeable, and the rehabilitators and volunteers do such amazing work! I leveled up my surgical skills, dove deep into avian influenza monitoring, and gathered invaluable knowledge to bring back to Dubai.” He observed a variety of surgeries and the fitting of juvenile bald eagles with GPS transmitters, then joined in the return of one of those fledglings back to its nest area.

“Lastly, having the opportunity to meet and exchange experiences with TRC founder and pioneer on raptor medicine, Dr. Pat Redig, who recounted the time he was flown to Bahrain to perform surgery on the king’s important hunting falcon, was a dream come true!”