Baby storks released into the wild after being rescued from mobile phone tower
- 4 years ago
Baby storks that were rescued from a mobile phone tower have been released back into the wild.
The four chicks were found nesting on the structure in Songkhla, southern Thailand, on March 17.
Officials worried that the birds, a type of painted stork, could interfere with the signal so they had zoo staff bring the newborns down to take to the zoo while their parents were set free.
Footage shows the birds being released after two months of rearing by the zoo.
Zoo director Chalermwut Kasetsomboon said he believed the birds are now ready to rejoin their parents' flock.
He said: "The cell tower is not available for the family to nest so we had to chase them away but back then the chicks were still so young and could not fly.
"We have adopted them and reared them closely by the vet in the zoo and now we think it is time for them to enter the borderless world and perhaps rejoin their parents."
The director also asked the locals to be kind to them if they should encounter one of the young birds.
He said: "Since they were reared by humans, they might be more familiar with humans.
"So anyone approached by them should not hurt. We want to preserve the species in our country."
The four chicks were found nesting on the structure in Songkhla, southern Thailand, on March 17.
Officials worried that the birds, a type of painted stork, could interfere with the signal so they had zoo staff bring the newborns down to take to the zoo while their parents were set free.
Footage shows the birds being released after two months of rearing by the zoo.
Zoo director Chalermwut Kasetsomboon said he believed the birds are now ready to rejoin their parents' flock.
He said: "The cell tower is not available for the family to nest so we had to chase them away but back then the chicks were still so young and could not fly.
"We have adopted them and reared them closely by the vet in the zoo and now we think it is time for them to enter the borderless world and perhaps rejoin their parents."
The director also asked the locals to be kind to them if they should encounter one of the young birds.
He said: "Since they were reared by humans, they might be more familiar with humans.
"So anyone approached by them should not hurt. We want to preserve the species in our country."