PDN Photo of the Day

Eagle Hunters of Mongolia

Asher Svidensky, a documentary photographer who spends much of his time in Asia, traveled to Mongolia earlier this year with a desire to document the new generation of eagle hunting, a Kazakh tradition. To clarify, no one is hunting eagles. Instead, one hunts with eagles to catch foxes and other small animals. The tradition of eagle hunting goes back hundreds of years and is typically passed down between generations of men. Svidensky writes on his website, “The eagle hunters families live on this side of Mongolia after having migrated between Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia until the fall of communism and closing of all borders. The tradition’s preservation was what drew me to them. They preserve it without any touristic nature, unlike in Kazakhstan.” Svidensky’s project, which depicts young male eagle hunters, also features young Ashol Pan, the 13-year-old daughter of an eagle hunter. Svidensky continues, “I was amazed by her comfort and ease as she began handling the grand eagle for the first time in her life. She was fearlessly carrying it on her hand and caressing it somewhat joyfully.”

 

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