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Kyrgyzstan

Incoming eagle just let loose from the top of the hill

Eagle lands on his arm

He rewards the eagle with raw meat.

“We take the eagles from their nests when they are very young," he explains while he continues to feed the eagle chunks of meat. “We try to take only the females and then we train them and keep them for no more than 15 years.”

After 15 years in captivity, the birds are released back into the wild to hunt as they wish, and many, and will live on for another twenty years in the mountains and on the steppe.

The eagle hunters are not only adept on horseback and at handling their deadly birds of prey; they also train a distinctive breed of dog known as the Taigan.

Father and son, the next generation learning about Eagles hunting.

I thought just seeing these magnificent birds in the wild was our reward today. But know we are offered the chance to actually hold a Golden Eagle on your arm and on a horse. Can it get any better?

The Golden Eagle weighs at maturity about 15 pounds. It feels like hold a turkey on your arm constantly moving.

Just the slightest movement of your hand causes the bird to open its wings. Look at the size of the talons, the feet wrapped around my wrist.

To be sitting under the wings of the magnificent bird and looking up at the wing span and feathers. Wow.

The eagle flapping its wings knocks the hat I have on off.

I thank you for the time spent with this incredible experience sharing a Golden Eagle flapping its wings while resting on my right hand.

A live rabbit turned lose in the field. A Golden Eagle is turned lose from the top of the hill.

In no time the eagle has circled over head and in seconds has the rabbit in its talons.

After waiting 45 seconds or feeling no heart beat the eagle commences to begin the meal for capturing the prey.

The hunted and the hunter. The circle of life.

What an incredible experience this has been for all of us. Especially myself. I have read about this part of the world and seeing videos of the Golden Eagles and their Nomadic hunters in videos. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get to see and hold one of these magnificent Golden Eagles.

Views of the local landscape where we visited the Golden Eagles and their handlers.

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