LITTLE GEMS

A bird from Africa ends up in Lake Geneva.
An African stork that has been flying around Wisconsin has found a new home in Lake Geneva. A marabou stork, native to Africa but presumed to have escaped captivity before being spotted across northeast Wisconsin in recent weeks, has been captured. Jay Christie, Safari Lake Geneva’s owner and founder, said he and his team rescued the marabou stork late Thursday after it “surrendered without any resistance.” He did not say exactly where it was found.

Marabou storks, native to sub-Saharan Africa, have an “extremely large range.” They inhabit savannas, grasslands, swamps, and areas where fish are concentrated. Marabou storks stand up to 5 feet tall and weigh nearly 20 pounds with typical wingspans up to 9 feet, though wider wingspans have been reported. Marabou storks can live up to 20 years in captivity. It’s not clear where the stork came from, but Thompson has his suspicions. Based on its description and two bands on its left leg, which lack information, he believes it could be a bird that escaped captivity in Indiana in October 2023.

Maggie Christie, the park’s director of conservation, said the animal faced serious risks in the wild. “It’s unlikely she would have survived another month on the run, given the number of reported near collisions with vehicular traffic, and, of course, she would never survive one of our winters.”  How the stork survived at all is a mystery, as it was in pretty good condition when found. Safari Lake Geneva staff say the stork is now in quarantine at the park and is already settling in.

Person of the Week

Peter Strauss, grandson of the publisher, graduated from St. Norbert College, where his grandad had many years before. What a wonderful kid.