A Dying Breed |Issy Kul, Kyrgyzstan

In the highlands of Central Asia, the ancient bond between hunter and eagle endures as a symbol of cultural pride. Long revered, the practice of eagle hunting has been passed down through generations, intricately woven into identity, land, and livelihood.

Yet in recent years, this tradition has found itself increasingly shaped by the gaze of outsiders. As documentaries and tourism campaigns romanticise the eagle hunter as a relic of the past brought to life, staged performances now fill the itinerary of travellers eager for something ‘authentic’.

At 10:15 sharp, the show begins - eagle, horse, and ‘sacrificial’ hare all in position.

There are still places where this culture lives and breathes with integrity, where eagles are deeply valued and their welfare prioritised. But there are also performances - scripted, commodified, and unregulated. In these cases, the impact on both animal welfare and wild populations warrants scrutiny. Kyrgyzstan has no national census of golden eagles. No regulation on the number of chicks taken from the wild. No system to ensure the birds are released or monitored.

This raises difficult questions. When practices embedded in tradition and culture intersect with commerce, particularly where wild animals are concerned, we do bear responsibility as observers. Ask yourself, what are we sustaining and at what cost?