Last of the Mongolian eagle hunters
By Globaltimes.cn, Published: 2015-09-06 16:26:17
Asholpan, 13, may well be the only female eagle hunter in the world. The daughter of a famed Kazakh eagle hunter, Asholpan is one of a few young people in the desolate Altai Mountains of Central Asia carrying on the 4,000-year-old tradition of eagle hunting. Only around 70 Kyrgyz and Kazakh eagle hunters remain in the world. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
Editor's Note:
The relative geographic isolation of the Kazakh community of Northwestern Mongolia has been a factor in preserving the traditional hunting practice. Only around 70 Kyrgyz and Kazakh eagle hunters remain in the world. Photos: IC/Tariq Zaidi

Pictured is one of the oldest practicing eagle hunters in the world. The relative geographic isolation of the Kazakh community of Northwestern Mongolia has been a factor in preserving the traditional hunting practice. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
Hunters must forge an intimate relationship with their birds. Born in the wild, eagles are taken from their nests as egrets. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
The skill of training eagles is handed down from generation to generation. Eagles are difficult to tame and require a strong bond with their master. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
With a life expectancy of up to 40 years, eagles are easily considered members of the family. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
The birds are often outfitted with elaborate handcrafted ornaments. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
Horsemanship is an essential skill that eagle hunters still use today. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
Although eagles are capable of killing young wolves, they are mainly used to hunt foxes and other small game. The whole community celebrates when a hunter returns with a fox. Fox pelts are not only worn as trophies by the hunters and their families, they also help keep warm in sub-zero temperatures. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
After a successful hunt, a hunter rewards his eagle with the most-prized part of the prey - the lungs. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi
An endangered cultural tradition, the practice of eagle hunting was listed by UNESCO as a living cultural heritage in 2010. Photo: IC/Tariq Zaidi