By Mahima Kaur
**EXCLUSIVE**
THRILLING action-filled images of the eagle hunters of Kyrgyzstan and West Mongolia have been captured including some of a CHILD HUNTER.
One of the images shows a child eagle hunter as young as FIVE years old, holding on to an eagle, looking at the photographer confidently.
Another image shows two men in full action, riding their horses while holding on to eagles thrice as big as their head.
Central Asia is the birthplace of the ancient tradition of eagle hunting.
Kyrgyzstan is one of the few countries that still follow some traditions of the nomadic civilization and there are a handful of expert hunters left to this day who are determined to keep this ancient practice alive.
The Kyrgyz hunters train golden eagles and they call this eagle the bird of God and prefer to hunt with them as they are the most intelligent, powerful and lethal hunters on the planet and can kill hares, foxes, lynxes and even wolves.
The golden eagle is called berkut in Kyrgyz and is named after the golden feathers at the back of its head.
The hunters are called berkutchi and are seen as the guardians of the nomadic hunting traditions.
The eagle hunters can also be seen riding on horseback across the vast landscape of Mongolia.
Traditionally, female eagles are captured from their nests while a few months old – old enough to survive away from the nest, but not yet able to fly.
They are nurtured and trained by their hunter-owner, and a close relationship develops.
These stunning images were captured by photographer David Dhaen (42) in Kyrgyzstan and West Mongolia.
David used a variety of equipment to capture these thrilling shots including a Nikon D850, Tamron 24 70 2.8 and a Sigma sport 150 600.
 . Kyrgyzstan and Magnolia.Â
David is a seasoned photographer and has travelled from the whole of America to Europe, from Japan to Iran using the old silk road crossing and from the steppes of winter Mongolia to Korea.
“The old tradition of eagle hunters has always been something I wanted to experience,” said David.
“I enjoy the dress and the vibe and the hunting but most importantly I like the magnificent display of their art.
“My first experience was living with them during winters.
“They hunted foxes and it was not a pretty sight but when you stay with them in winter, you understand their need for fur.
“These people live very remotely and do not have fancy stuff like we do.
“At temperatures as low as -30 degrees celsius, I understood it first time when they needed to hunt for clothes and food.
“I am very passionate about old traditions and clothing and would like to capture these beautiful things before they disappear.”
ENDS
