2. Mongolia

Olgii (Ulgii)

Kazakh eagle hunters, Western Mongolia
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Kazakh eagle trainer riding fast with his golden eagle.<br /> <br /> When the trainer is riding fast, raising his arm appears to cause the eagle to raise its wings to balance in the wind. <br /> On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
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Kazakh eagle trainer riding fast with his golden eagle.

When the trainer is riding fast, raising his arm appears to cause the eagle to raise its wings to balance in the wind.
On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia

near OlgiiWestern MongoliaKazakh tribesmaneagle trainergolden eaglesteppesmountainscows and goatsraised wings

  • Bayan Olgii airport (also called Ulgii), Western Mongolia<br /> <br /> This is a small airport in the far west of Mongolia, near where the borders of Mongolia, China, Russia and Kazakhstan meet.
  • Aero Mongolia prop plane, Olgii Airport, Western Mongolia
  • Man at the main door of the Central Mosque, Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Women selling knives and horseshoes.<br /> <br /> Olgii (or Ulgii) is in remote Western Mongolia near the border of Mongolia with Kazakhstan, China and Russia. I thought these were two pretty cool looking ladies...<br /> <br /> A number of people have asked about the masks, and Godschild is correct, it is common to see them in Asia in particular, as a way to prevent the spreading of disease, but also to protect the lungs against pollution (especially in industrial China). <br /> <br /> Other photos of the market at Olgii and around town can be seen here: <a href="http://goo.gl/6QB3cU">http://goo.gl/6QB3cU</a><br /> <br /> 20/02/15 <a href="http://www.allenfotowild.com">http://www.allenfotowild.com</a>
  • Man buying a fur hat, Olgii Market, Western Mongolia
  • Woman selling clothes at the Olgii market, Western Mongolia
  • Multi-colored skeins of wool at the market, Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • A tender moment<br /> <br /> I was in Western Mongolia in the fall to attend the famous eagle festival in Olgii where Kazakh eagle trainers come from far and wide to compete with their birds. I was very anxious to see my first tribesman with his golden eagle! <br /> <br /> Then I spotted this eagle trainer with his bird riding across the steppes from a long distance away and watched, with growing excitement, as he approached us. When he reached us, he descended from his horse to rest himself, his horse, and his eagle. He said he was heading to the festival to compete with his bird. After accepting a drink from us, he was adjusting the jesses (leg straps) on his bird and getting ready to get back on his horse and ride off when I caught this moment. <br /> <br /> I will explain more about the relationship between the eagle and the trainer in another post.<br /> <br /> A few other shots of this exciting encounter can be seen here: <a href="http://goo.gl/kUvSPw">http://goo.gl/kUvSPw</a><br /> <br /> 15/03/15 <a href="http://www.allenfotowild.com">http://www.allenfotowild.com</a>
  • Petting his eagle.<br /> <br /> Mongolian eagle trainer tenderly stroking his eagle's feathers during a rest break, as his horse stands by. Near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Kazakh tribesman resting on the steppes with his golden eagle, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Tired Kazakh eagle trainer resting his golden eagle and horse on the steppes near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Kazakh eagle trainer with his horse and golden eagle with wings spread, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Mounted Mongolian goat herder, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Kazakh eagle trainer carrying his eagle to his horse<br /> <br /> On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Kazakh eagle trainer loading his eagle on his horse<br /> <br /> On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Portrait of an Kazakh eagle trainer on his horse, holding his golden eagle.<br /> <br /> On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Kazakh eagle trainer with his golden eagle, late day with shadow.<br /> <br /> On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Kazakh eagle trainer riding fast with his golden eagle.<br /> <br /> When the trainer is riding fast, raising his arm appears to cause the eagle to raise its wings to balance in the wind. <br /> On the steppes, near Olgii, Western Mongolia
  • Portrait of a Kazakh eagle hunter on a frosty sunrise (best larger)<br /> <br /> Taken near a herder's ger out on the Mongolian steppes near the border with Kazakhstan.<br /> <br /> For a cool shot of glowing eyes at nigiht, and other pics of the eagle hunters, seen here: <a href="http://goo.gl/aWdUw6">http://goo.gl/aWdUw6</a><br /> <br /> 20/03/15 <a href="http://www.allenfotwild.com">http://www.allenfotwild.com</a>
  • A bond of trust<br /> <br /> The relationship between a raptor and its handler is an opportunistic one where the eagle trusts the handler to protect it and provide it with food and the handler trusts the eagle to return to him (or in rare cases, her) after releasing the eagle to hunt. <br /> <br /> The hunters take female eagles from the nest when they are ready to fly and train them to hunt and return to their owners. They keep the eagles for about 6 years until they are sexually mature and then release them to the wild so they can breed, leaving them with a gift of an animal carcass to help feed them as they adjust to the wild. Hence the practice of eagle hunting does not impact the wild population of birds.<br /> <br /> The Kazakh hunters use the eagle to hunt fox and rabbits for their furs, which they wear (most hunters, as this one is, wear a fox fur hat), and to supplement their meagre diet in the winter.<br /> <br /> Other photos of this eagle trainer mounting his horse and riding off with his eagle can be seen here: <a href="http://goo.gl/4rH0OS">http://goo.gl/4rH0OS</a><br /> <br /> 16/03/15 <a href="http://www.allenfotowild.com">http://www.allenfotowild.com</a>

  • jimholmquist

    on March 22, 2015

    Terrific shot and amazing they can ride fast with the eagles hooded! Seems like it would be disorienting to the birds.

  • nelli

    on March 17, 2015

    OMG THIS IS OUTSTANDING THE EAGLE LOOKS HEAVY. THIS MAN MUST BE STRONG.

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