On the border between our country and this country, there stands a golden eagle

This is the national flag of Kazakhstan : a golden sun in the middle radiates 32 rays, and below it there is a golden eagle with its wings spread. The light blue background represents the sky, and is also a symbol of well-being, peace, and tranquility; on the left side of the flag there is a vertical strip of Kazakhstan's traditional golden pattern.

Flag of Kazakhstan｜-xfi-, Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Standardization / wiki commons

The national emblem is also blue and gold, with the traditional Kazakh golden felt dome tent and a flying horse, symbolizing the long history of nomadic life.

National emblem of Kazakhstan | Government of Kazakhstan / wiki commons

The “people on horseback” eat meat and drink cheese

Kazakhstan straddles Europe and Asia and is the largest landlocked country in the world. It is an ancient yet young country, so old that its horse domestication remains can be traced back to the Stone Age , and so young that it only declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Since its independence, Kazakhstan has chosen the golden eagle as its national bird and flag pattern , believing that it represents freedom, boldness, bravery and indomitable spirit.

In the lobby of the National Museum of Kazakhstan, a golden eagle spreads its wide wings in the sky｜citypass.kz

Kazakhstan is the most important biodiversity distribution area in Central Asia. The country has complex terrain, with vast grasslands accounting for 1/3 of the country's land area and vast deserts and semi-deserts.

Located deep inland and far from the ocean, Kazakhstan has a typical continental climate , with hot and dry summers and cold and little snow in winter. Such natural conditions are not conducive to agricultural development, shaping the long nomadic history of the residents here. The Kazakhs have only gradually turned to farming and settlement in the past century.

"Kazakh" means " free people " in Turkic, and Kazakhstan is a country where free people live. A Kazakh poet in the 15th century wrote the following verse: "How can a yellow duck in the lake know the vastness of the wild? How can a person who has not experienced nomadic life know the beauty and richness of the earth?"

The latest version of the 5,000 tenge banknote issued by Kazakhstan has a majestic golden eagle on the back｜nationalbank.kz

The memory of nomadism is deeply integrated into the life and culture of the Kazakhs, and animals have never been far away from their daily lives. They love mutton, beef, horse meat and various dairy products, and drink kumis. The golden eagle has always been one of their most common animal totems. In the arduous life of migration, people admire the golden eagle's bravery, tenacity and tenacious survival qualities.

Chasing wolves and foxes, shocking the world

When talking about the golden eagle, what do you think of, the "Divine Eagle" of martial arts style or the domineering title of " King of Birds of Prey " in the martial arts world?

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a large bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is about 1 meter long, with a wingspan of more than 2 meters and a weight of 2 to 6.5 kilograms. With its agile body, it looks extremely powerful no matter how you look at it.

A standard side view of a golden eagle｜Jarkko Järvinen / wiki commons

Female golden eagles have the same color as males. Most of their feathers on the top of their heads and bodies are dark brown and light brown. The feathers on the back of their necks and napes are golden brown, shining brightly in the sun. This is why the golden eagle's scientific name, Chinese name, and English name all contain "gold". The body color of young golden eagles is darker, with white spots on the tail and under the wings, but these white spots will gradually disappear as they grow up.

Golden Eagle sub-adult｜Zoo Ostrava / wiki commons

Golden eagles live in forests, grasslands, deserts, river valleys and hills. During the day, they often stop on cliffs or tall treetops to observe the surroundings, looking majestic. When they fly, they are even more majestic.

Golden eagles have amazing flying speed and power , which lays the foundation for their fierce hunting ability and strong environmental adaptability. The hard horny claws and sharp hooked beaks that break through the wind are deadly weapons that can quickly tear flesh and blood, and the huge and powerful wings can help stun the prey. Diving down at high speed, accurately attacking the throat or eyeballs of the prey, the invincible golden eagle can prey on dozens of animals, from roe deer and goats to squirrels and rabbits.

Golden Eagle in Flight｜Giles Laurent / wiki commons

Golden eagles are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere. They can be found in Europe, Asia, and North America. This has also left traces in the legends of different cultures. Nomadic peoples in many regions have domesticated golden eagles as helpers thousands of years ago. The Kazakhs use tamed golden eagles not only to hunt foxes and even wild wolves for fur and meat, but also to guard large areas of pastures with their excellent eyesight and mobility.

Throughout history, those bound golden eagles have endured harsh training methods, forced to endure hunger (to maintain their hunting wildness) while standing on the shoulders of falconers and gazing at the vast world.

Recolorized historical photo: Kazakh rider and his golden eagle. Circa 1911-1914｜Sergei Ivanovich Borisov / wiki commons

Symbiosis under the Tengri Cangtian Heaven

As a top predator, the golden eagle plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance in the ecosystem. It also reminds us to think about the proper distance between humans and wild animals, as well as the balance point that needs to be explored between traditional lifestyles and modern ecological protection.

Today, people no longer need the limited prey caught by the golden eagles as a means of survival. In China, golden eagles are a first-class protected animal that is prohibited from being domesticated . For some herders in Kazakhstan, domesticating golden eagles is a heroic dream that continues the national tradition and also attracts the attention of tourists.

In Ülgii, Mongolia, falconry is promoted as a performance to attract tourists - it has become a thing | Altaihunters / wiki commons

Fortunately, the Kazakhs have a primitive ecological consciousness of awe for nature: "My home is the Tengri sky, the sun and the moon, and my mother is the thousands of trees, the earth and the water." People and grasslands coexist, and all life deserves respect .

Kazakhstan is one of the first countries in Central Asia to establish nature reserves and publish a red book . Soon after independence, they signed a number of international conventions and protection protocols, including the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, and actively cooperated with various international organizations. By building various types of special nature reserves such as national comprehensive nature reserves, national nature parks, nature reserves, and logging and hunting bans, the living space of wild animals is protected. However, due to the short period of national independence, the lack of protection funds and talents, the protection work still faces bottlenecks .

Exchange and cooperation lead to win-win results

Due to human activities, poaching and changes in animal habitats (desertification and grassland degradation), the number of many animal species in Kazakhstan is on the decline, with some even decreasing by 30% to 50% . Biodiversity conservation faces complex problems.

Sharing the Tianshan Mountains and the Irtysh River, Kazakhstan's mountain ecosystems and water-wetland ecosystems are closely linked to China's Xinjiang. If we do not work together, our fate will only be that of a toothless person . Only by fully communicating and organically combining biodiversity conservation with social and economic development, ecological and environmental stability, and the good life of residents can we ultimately improve the effectiveness of environmental governance and protect our diversity.

At the Golden Eagle Central Square of the China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center, the national flags of the two countries fluttered in the wind, witnessing the good neighborly friendship between the two sides. At the same time, the magnificent golden eagle statue standing in the middle of the square, flapping its wings and ready to fly, silently called for the implementation and promotion of more wildlife protection cooperation projects.

The Eagle of Golden Eagle Square｜Zhao Ge, Xinhua News Agency/gov.cn

May the golden eagle always be able to live freely on the mountaintops, soar under the vast sky, and have a place on this earth where the terrain is constantly changing and human beings are constantly developing.

Author: Ditang

Editor: Old Cat

This article comes from GuokrNature (ID: GuokrNature)