Rare Serbian eagle freed after rescue from traffickers in Syria
A critically endangered young Serbian eagle named Feliks has been rescued and released back into the wild after being kidnapped by poachers in Syria and held captive for months. Conservationists had been tracking the bird when its signal disappeared last October, later learning it had been abducted.
A rare eastern imperial eagle has been returned to the wild in Serbia after being kidnapped by poachers in Syria and held captive for months, the BBC reports. The young bird, named Feliks, left its nest for the first time last summer, prompting conservationists to track it for research purposes. It soon became clear the eagle was flying toward an unstable region in the Middle East.
In October, the tracking signal went dead. Experts initially assumed the tracking device had malfunctioned, but it later emerged that Feliks had been captured by poachers, who subsequently attempted to sell him.
The traffickers demanded a ransom, which was refused. Following prolonged negotiations, the eagle was transferred to a wildlife centre in Beirut, Lebanon, where he spent more than six months recovering. He was then flown home aboard a Serbian military aircraft and released back into the wild.
Conservation success
The eastern imperial eagle is a critically endangered, protected species. According to the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS), conservation efforts since 2017 have helped grow the country's population from a single breeding pair to 29 pairs this year.
BPSSS representative Uros Stojiljkovic told AFP that concerns for the bird grew once it became apparent he was heading toward an extremely unsafe region.
