In 2002 he returned to his home country to pursue a career in falconry at a Bird of Prey Centre, doing mainly rehabilitation work and public displays. Over the next two and a half years he had the opportunity to intensively broaden his knowledge of various raptor groups under the expert guidance of his teacher and master falconer, Hank Chalmers. He eventually ended up as manager of the Eagle Encounters raptor centre in the Western Cape. In his free time he hunted with African Goshawks and Black Sparrowhawks and in 2004 won the trophy for the best African Goshawk at the annual Cape Falconry Club meet.

In 2005 he returned to his falconry roots in the UAE to accept a position in a Dubai based company specializing in Pigeon Pest Control with falcons. For the following four years he trained falcons and hunted pigeons in an urban environment with various peregrine subspecies, lanners and hybrid falcons. During this time he was also continuously involved in the tourism industry through public display work.

Jannes decided to join the Shaheen Xtreme team in August 2009 and is currently heading our falconry project at the Banyan Tree Al Wadi resort in Ras Al Khaimah. His heart has remained with eagles throughout and he is now working with a young female Golden Eagle which indicates very clearly his questionable sense of self preservation!