Eagle hunting (Kyrgyzstan)

Using eagles for hunting has been happening across the world for a long time. It has been essential for the survival of the nomadic people in Kyrgyzstan.

They only use females as they are bigger than males. They usually take the chicks from the nest. From here, they raise them and teach them to hunt.

The eagle will hunt for only one person. If their owner does not treat them well, they won't treat their owner well in return. 😁

Lightening was the eagle we met. She was gorgeous. She weighed about 6kgs and is not quite full size.

I watched the interaction between Lightening and her owner closely. They were very affectionate towards each other and kept giving each other 'kisses'. 😍

The eagle hunts with it's owner for about 20 years (their life expectancy is about 80 years). They are then transitioned to release so they can be free and have their own family. The owner finds this very hard as they are very attached to their bird.

The cycle then continues.

We watched the owner do recall with Lightening. Then, Lightening was released to catch a fox (which in training is just the fur with meat in it, video attached). And then they demonstrated with a live rabbit. I know it's life, but I didn't want to watch the rabbit die, so I found it a convenient time to find a rock for a bathroom stop!

It was an awesome experience to get close to Lightening. She is a beautiful bird. Her time will come when she can be free. Until then, she is clearly loved and stimulated.Read more