Kazakh Eagle Hunter
Not every interaction between people and nature is necessarily detrimental. This dynamic photo shows a partnership between a Kazakh hunter in Mongolia and a golden eagle. Hunting with eagles is a traditional method in the region that’s been employed for thousands of years.
National Geographic writes:
Asiilbek, a nomadic Kazakh eagle hunter, preps his golden eagle, Burged, for a horseback hunt in the grasslands outside of Bayan-Ölgii, the westernmost province of Mongolia. The eagle’s training begins when fledglings are captured from their cliff edge nests and taught how to hunt for hare, fox, and even deer. The tradition stretches back 3,000 years.
“For this image, I was lying on my stomach in the prone position looking through the electronic viewfinder at the edge of the stream,” says photographer Eric Esterle.“The ground shook as Asiilbek’s horse passed less than a few feet away, splashing me with ice cold water. I remember covering my camera with my body and putting myhead down.”
