I’m not sure where you are in the world, but the general consensus is that it’s getting warmer. Thank goodness because I don’t think I could handle much more cold weather.
It seems like these birds in Bulgaria (good band name?) were getting a bit too chilly and they might have regretted not flying more South for the winter. They were freezing to death but these kind Bulgarians didn’t let that happen.
It was so cold in Bulgaria that these wild storks couldn’t even fly because their wings were icy. Unlike Southwest Airlines they didn’t have any de-icer so the next best thing was to get to shelter.
That’s when this village hopped into action.
It all started with Safet Halil, a 53-year-old maintenance worker that knew he had to help. He told a news report:
“I found five frozen storks near the village road the day before yesterday. I took them home, lit a stove to warm them and fed them fish.”
You know, just what any normal Bulgarian would do, right? Once the town heard of what he was doing on social media, others did the same. Safet started a movement of people bringing in storks into their homes.
In a video posted on Facebook, shows a man and his family just hanging out with storks. It shows him helping one stork get ice off it’s wings with others huddling around for warmth on a blanket and the surrounding couches. Even the man’s child is just hanging out with the storks.
It seems like the that Safet’s generosity really caught wind in the village of Zaritsa, Bulgaria. Their news reported that over 40 birds received shelter from people around the village. Someone even gave up their bed for these beautiful storks?! Maybe the people of Bulgaria need to show America how to be kind.
All these heroic acts basically saved these stork’s lives. Hristina Klisurova, a spokesperson from the Green Balkans Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center said that these birds are used to a warmer spring. She said to AFP, “It’s the first time that we have seen so many storks in distress in Bulgaria.”
She also stressed to make sure that the people should only take in birds that are sick or injured and to release them as soon as possible so they are able to stay wild.
The good people of Bulgaria aren’t the only heroes in this story, the great men and women from the Green Balkans Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center have been out in the snow looking to help the storks as well.
Safet said that, “I already received two or three beak pinches on the arms,” but he’s still keeping them for a bit longer. Apparently the weather isn’t getting any better.
If you were inspired by this amazing story, you can donate to Green Balkans Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center so they can keep the heat on for the storks!