Meet the only eagle huntress of Mongolia
Posted by staff / April 15, 2014
For 2000 years, the Kazakh eagle hunters of western Mongolia have been trained to brave the harsh winter elements and master their intimidation of the mighty golden eagles with which they hunt, a tantalizing photo opportunity any way you look at it. Travel writer and photographer Asher Svidensky found an even brighter gem while documenting this ancient practice, though: thirteen-year-old Ashol-Pan, the eagle huntress.
As he remarked to the BBC regarding this shy, sweet daughter of a renowned hunter:
“To see her with the eagle was amazing,” he recalls. She was a lot more comfortable with it, a lot more powerful with it and a lot more at ease with it.”
Sometimes, you just have to give a girl the chance to fly.
Full story at the BBC.
Photo credit: Asher Svidensky
I am charmed and entranced by the love and admiration this little girl has for her hunting eagle. I am particularly touched by the expression on her face while touching the eagle’s chest, and as she releases the eagle to fly with her own arms outstretched. She is inspiring!