When Big Bird, a pelican, was separated from his flock during a storm near Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, it was saved by the staff of a nearby resort. The employees of Greystoke Mahale taught the wayward bird how to fly again and like any parent would cherish the first steps of their child, the employees of the resort wanted to enjoy their adopted Big Bird’s first flight.
When the pelican first washed ashore, it was only three-months old and was unable to feed itself. The staff learned that bird might not have properly learned how to fly while they were helping it recover and took it upon themselves to teach the animal. They did this by running up and down the beach, flapping their arms and encouraging the bird to do the same. “We would run up and down flapping our arms and simulating flight for him. He would look on curiously until one day he showed us how it was done!”
To capture this special moment the people attached a GoPro camera to the bird’s beak so they could see the pelican’s flight. “We are so proud of him and he is such a clever bird. He can fly!” Park workers also taught the bird survival skills such as how to catch its own food. Here’s a video of Big Bird’s first flight:
Big Bird’s life has been saved by the park staff’s employees. This is one of the greatest examples of the relation that man has with mother nature and how amazing human kindness can be. Our love for living creatures goes beyond the boundaries of species and Big Bird is the embodiment of that human quality.