Kidnapped rare Serbian eagle freed into wild after rescue
Feliks the eagle was abducted as he first flew the nest in Serbia and wound up in the Middle East with poachers who demanded a ransom.
A critically endangered rare eastern imperial eagle named Feliks has been rescued from poachers and returned to the wild in Serbia after a months-long ordeal. Born in Serbia last year, Feliks was snatched in Syria by animal traffickers who held him for ransom, which was ultimately rejected by conservationists. After extensive talks, the bird was transported to a wildlife center in Beirut, Lebanon, where he spent over half a year recuperating.
Once back in Serbia, Feliks was escorted to Palic Zoo by Serbian peacekeepers who had recently returned from Lebanon. Upon his arrival, he was in poor health due to the strenuous journey, but under the care of the zoo's staff, he gradually regained his strength. This year, the population of the protected species in Serbia has grown from one pair to 29 pairs, thanks to ongoing conservation efforts since 2017.
Feliks' release is a significant success for these conservation initiatives, providing hope for the species' future.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
