Tribes, Predators & Me: Episode 2 (BBC Two Friday 3 November 2023)

Tribes, Predators & Me: Episode 2 airs Friday 3 November 2023 on BBC Two.

What is this episode about

In order to survive the harsh winters, the Kazakh people of western Mongolia have formed a hunting partnership with golden eagles for thousands of years. Gordon Buchanan, a wildlife cameraman, travels with a nomadic family to learn about golden eagles and assist in the training of a young bird. Gordon learns the hard way how to train and pilot his young eagle.

The training of an eagle begins when it is less than a year old. Since females are larger and more aggressive than males, the Kazakhs only ever hunt with them. Will Gordon and the young eagle be able to learn to trust and work together as he trains it for its first hunt? And, more importantly, can he safely learn to fly her, bearing in mind the local weather and topography?

Gordon lets his young eagle sleep in his tent and spends days with her to earn her trust. But it’s not just the eagle he has to get to know; he also has to get used to riding around with an eagle on his back and pitching in wherever he’s needed. Gordon enters a “lure drag” competition and finds himself pitted against some of the best hunters in the region. Despite her potential, Gordon’s young eagle has yet to become a proficient hunter.

Sailau, Gordon’s mentor, sends his ageing eagle back into the wild to mate with other birds. After eight years of hunting together, Sailau must say goodbye to his trusted companion, an older eagle. It’s a touching gesture that shows how much these extraordinary people care about a notorious predator that faces persecution in many parts of the world.

Series 2 Episode 2

When can we see the episode

Tribes, Predators & Me: Episode 2 airs Friday 3 November 2023 at 4:15pm on BBC Two

Featured Image Credit: BBC Two