Vladimir Putin gifts a Gyrfalcon to Saudi King Salman on his visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a visit to Saudi Arabia reportedly gifted a Gyrfalcon to Saudi King Salman. Along with this, Vladimir also offered them an object of art made of "mammoth defence". as reported by foreign media. In return to this, the Saudi Arabian rulers gifted him with a prized Arabic painting. On October 14, the leaders signed a deal to bolster cooperation among the world's oil giants- Russia and Saudi Arabia, as the Russian President sought to defuse political tensions in the Gulf.

Read: Vladimir Putin Visits Saudi Arabia, Keeps Oil & Iran On His Agenda

Read: Putin Reaches Saudi Arabia To Act As Peacemaker After Oil Attacks

Russian Press Secretary describes the gift exchange

Press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov told the media that Putin's gifts include a high-class art object made of a "mammoth defence" which is very beautiful. He explained that the company that manufactures these mammoth tusk objects started to deal with it after the ivory trade was banned in the world, so the project titled Notivory is not ivory. The other gift, Kamchatka Gyrfalcon, is on the list of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Peskov recalled that the project for the breeding of gyrfalcons was presented at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok to the Russian and Indian delegations to clarify his country's stand. Peskov further added that the painting gifted by Arabs is a traditional Arab painting representing a pattern specific to Arab carpets.

Read: Putin Calls On 'illegitimately' Deployed Forces In Syria To Leave

Gifting Gyrfalcon fits right into Arabic tradition

Gyrfalcon is a bird of prey, the largest of the falcon species which breeds on Arctic coasts and tundra, and the islands of northern North America, Europe, and Asia. As per reports, the bird's name is Alpha, though her new owner might choose to rename her yet.  Putin's gift fits right in with Middle Eastern traditions, where hunting with birds of prey, Falconry, is a custom, among the Saudi royals in particular. In an earlier incident, one Saudi prince reportedly bought tickets for each of his 80 birds on a commercial flight, while two others got caught during an attempt to smuggle much-sought avians from Russia.

Read: Putin Says Russia Is Fully Complying With WADA Anti-doping Requirement