After Bulgaria had come to the frontline for rushing to save frozen storks caught on the wrong foot by the snow and cold on its territory, Romania has taken similar actions.
Employees of an institution under the Calarasi city hall’s authority went on national DN3 on Friday to feed the storks after they had been notified that the birds are in danger due to massive snowfall and extreme cold. Hundreds of calls and notifications on endangered storks have been made in the past days amid snow and cold wave in Romania.
Experts say though that not all birds need to be saved, while the rescuers called on the population to get mobilized when they see distressed storks, affected by cold.
The experts of the Romanian Ornithology Society (SOR) say that the most visible sign that a stork needs help and food is when it comes close to people, as they usually don’t love human company.
“Unfortunately, the road to hell is paved with good intentions and we’ve got to the point that people chased storks on the field to catch them and take them home for shelter. What they don’t know-that storks only need rest during migration time, and the human’s assault on the flock could only make them tired and put them in danger,” says the SOR’s spokesperson, Ovidiu Bufnila.
Specialists recommend people to feed the storks that climbed down their nests and gave signs of distress and the usual food is fish and cube-cut green meat.
“Food gives them energy, they can endure the cold better. If the bird is frozen and cannot move, then you can take it and give it shelter in the barn or other house’s outside building. Restrict contact with he stork, for it is a wild bird and the jab can be very strong and might hurt you. Let the bird alone, to calm down. Give it food and water but release it, after it gets better; release it only in the morning or at lunch, never in the evening,” SOR also recommended.
News about people in northeastern Bulgaria taking home distressed storks lying in the snow-covered fields has become viral. Bulgaria’s NE region has also been hit by severe cold and snow weather just like southern Romania.
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