Sponsored by: Friends of Wolves.Lake Issyk Kul and in all Kyrgyzstan
lborün Taigen and Bird Festival
This return to archaic and cruel tradition is a disgrace for Russia.
These noble animals deserve respect and protection of their population!
This 2 day festival on the northern shore of Lake Issyk Kul in the town of Cholpon-Ata draws the regions best hunting dogs, eagle hunters, and falcon handlers in all of Kyrgyzstan.
Festivities range from eagle hunting of pheasants; Taigen also known as Kyrgyz hunting dog racing; to wolf baiting.
These long standing traditions have an important place within Kyrgyz culture and reflect their nomadic past.
***Such festivities reflect the Kyrgyz people’s nomadic past.
The final event of the festival is only opened to the most respected Berktuchi and Taigen who must hunt a live wolf. This fierce and sometimes gory battle frequently results in mortal wounds. For the sake of sportsmanship, festival officials attempted to place a bit in the wolf’s mouth to no avail, settling for a heavy chain tethering her to a lead weight.
Within rural communities, Kyrgyz have long raised Taigen and trained Eagles to protect both the lives of their livestock and family. This captured wolf was responsible for killing 68 sheep, 20 cows, and 17 horses. Such an unfathomable number of lost cattle and sheep is enough to impoverish any community.
We also encourage regional NGOs, interested students, and international development experts to contact us at "": info@sonsofhedin.org
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