Kakhi Jordania Launches “Keep the Sky Open” to Protect Raptors

Tbilisi, Georgia Dec 1, 2025 (Issuewire.com) Master falconer and conservation leader Kakhi Jordania today announced Keep the Sky Open, a public awareness push that turns everyday choices into real gains for raptors across the Caucasus and beyond. The effort builds on his work with the Caucasus Raptor Conservation Initiative, which has rescued and rehabilitated more than 400 birds since 2011 and uses satellite tracking to follow migratory routes across Turkey and into the Arabian Peninsula.

Conservation is not only science, said Jordania. It is daily attention. It is time. It is respect for the rhythms of the natural world.

Jordanias message is simple. Anyone can help. Small steps add up when many people take them. Success is when a community protects a bird because it understands why it matters, he said.

Why This Matters Now

Raptors face preventable harm. Common causes include power line strikes, shootings, and secondary poisoning from rodent control. Rehabilitation takes months and outcomes depend on early action. Jordanias team pairs field care with youth education through School of the Eagle, a program that brings falconry history and biodiversity lessons to villages across Georgia.

When we began using satellite telemetry in 2016, we found patterns that were never recorded here, said Jordania. Tradition gives direction and science gives clarity. Together they save birds.

What People Can Do Today

The Keep the Sky Open push highlights practical steps for homes, farms, and schools. Jordania asks the public to start with the list below.

• Make windows safer. Mark large panes with visible decals or grid tape to reduce strikes.
• Choose smarter pest control. Replace second-generation rodenticides with enclosed traps or integrated pest management.
• Protect local habitat. Leave small patches of native grass and install safe perches away from live wires.
• Keep distance. Give nests space during breeding season. Keep drones away from cliffs and known roosts.
• Leash dogs near nesting areas. Ground nests are easy to disturb.
• Join citizen science. Record sightings on a regional bird app or local log to support migration data.
• Report hazards. Note downed lines, illegal trapping, or injured birds to local wildlife authorities or CRCI.
• Bring this to class. Use one lesson from School of the Eagle to teach species ID and why biodiversity matters.
• Support a rehab day. Donate supplies like gauze, salmon oil, scales, or flight-pen materials to a local center.
• Learn and share. Read a chapter of Wings of the Caucasus with a friend, then pass it on.

People think falconry is about control, said Jordania. It is about connection. If you build that connection, everything else follows.

A Tradition With Global Reach

Jordanias demonstrations from Abu Dhabi to Berlin show how cultural knowledge can drive modern conservation. His advocacy helped secure UNESCO recognition for Georgian falconry as part of the worlds intangible cultural heritage. He blends field care with public storytelling to build trust and interest.

The falconers glove is a symbol of trust, he said. It is where human intention meets the wild. Our work is to keep that meeting place alive.

A Record of Measurable Results

• 400 plus raptors rescued and rehabilitated since 2011
• Satellite tracking active since 2016 across multiple borders
• School of the Eagle delivering conservation lessons in villages across Georgia
• Ongoing research on climate effects for imperial eagles and other migratory species

There was a steppe eagle named Tamar, said Jordania. Many thought she would never fly again. Small gains, day after day, took her back to the sky. That is the model. Patient work, shared by many hands.

Call to Action

Start with one change at home or at school this week. Mark a window. Switch a rodent control plan. Log a sighting. Share a lesson. Then add one more step next week. Success is not a finish line, said Jordania. It is small habits repeated over time.

For resources, checklists, and classroom guides, look for Keep the Sky Open materials from the Caucasus Raptor Conservation Initiative. Individuals and educators can download a one-page starter plan and a simple field log for student use.

About Kakhi Jordania
Kakhi Jordania is a master falconer and conservationist from Tbilisi, Georgia. He founded the Caucasus Raptor Conservation Initiative to rescue injured birds, track migrations, and teach youth about biodiversity and falconry heritage. His work helped Georgian falconry gain UNESCO recognition. He lives in Mukhrani with his family, where they care for recovering raptors and support community education.