Storks, hares, songbirds, ducks: Many wild animal babies did not survive this year’s cold “rainy season” in Styria.
At least 20 percent, but more likely 30 to a third: Helmut Rosenthaler, the well-known “stork father” from Tillmitsch, estimates so dramatically how many stork babies were born this year – and did not survive. “Many Styrians call us to report dead chicks,” says the expert sadly. Reason: “The weather! The extreme rain, the cold.”
Otherwise, the parents, who spend hours in the rain to keep the brood warm, would be perfectly capable of protecting their young. “But if it doesn’t stop raining, the parents are already soaked and the water is already in the nest, then that is no longer possible.”
Parents themselves would throw dead, still very small chicks out of the nest, but that is no longer possible with larger ones, “we had to go out several times to remove it. Because otherwise the parents will leave this eagle’s nest behind and surviving chicks will be doomed to die.”
How helpless and small such a bird is can be seen in a nest right at the station (photo above), the little one is one day old.
Another tragedy facing Helmut Rosenthaler and his team: two 15-day-old babies had to be rescued from a nest after a parent was run over. Rosentaler: “And father or mother alone cannot raise the little ones. As soon as they go out to get food, birds of prey immediately pounce on the babies.” The two are now fed chicken every two hours. Rosenthaler: “My ‘joker’ is ‘Maxeline’.” The stork lady has no offspring of her own, but raises orphaned chicks, feeds them and teaches them how to live in the wild. “This is very important for later.”
This year is also a disaster for other wild animal babies. “It’s terrible for hares or deer that are at the mercy of the weather,” says Monika Großmann of the Small Wild Animals in Great Need association. She cannot estimate the failures at all; Nor with ducks, songbirds: “Countless people who have their nests outside have simply stopped breeding this year.”
Attention, addictive: on the homepage of the municipality of Frohnleiten, a live cam shows the stork family with the young that hatched on May 10! Cute to watch!
If you want to support the work of animal rights activists:
Storchenverein, IBAN: AT98 3820 6000 0003 7226
Small Wild Animals in Need: AT472081503100610983
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
