In this episode, we meet a family of eagle hunters in East Kazakhstan and discover how golden eagles are selected, trained and prepared for the hunt. Can an eagle recognize its owner’s voice, even over the phone? How do eagle hunters determine a bird’s age, and why is it traditionally released back into the wild at the age of twelve? We also meet a new generation of eagle hunters who are keeping this centuries-old Kazakh tradition alive.
Eagle hunting is an ancient tradition of the Great Steppe, passed down through generations. Training a golden eagle for the hunt requires skill, patience and years of experience, while the bond between the bird and its owner develops over time.
The golden eagle soaring across the sky is a symbol of freedom and strength, and of harmony between people and nature in nomadic civilisation. That is why the eagle appears on the national flag of Kazakhstan. For centuries, it has been an inseparable part of Kazakh nomadic life.
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