Master of the skies
A Kazakh hunter whispers to his tamed golden eagle, an animal trained to hunt foxes and rabbits deep in the vast landscape of Kazakhstan.
Man and bird are among many who have gathered for an annual eagle hunting competition – a sport that many Kazakhs associate with a romanticised view of their nation’s nomadic history.
Dressed in warm furs, Kazakh hunters stand in a row with their tame golden eagles before the hunting competition in Chengelsy Gorge.
A hunter watches as his eagle takes off.
A tamed golden eagle hunts a rabbit in the snow.
An eagle reaches out for a rabbit with its talons.
A Kazakh hunter runs towards his eagle as it pins down a rabbit.
A tame golden eagle lands on its master's arm.
One of the huge birds flies into the air.
An eagle swoops down on a fox.
An eagle soars over the gorge.
