Stork Love Story

Our storks returned to the cedar tree on the 29th December, 2024.  It always lifts my heart to see them.  There were three there when I looked, a couple and a single, waiting for his mate.  Some one else arrived today (30th) as I can hear them clacking in greetings.

This reminded me of the love story of Malena and Klepetan, one of the most beautiful love stories ever,  A retired man in Croatia found a female stork who had been shot and wounded by hunters.  He took her in and cared for her and she healed, but couldn’t fly.  The European white storks mate and raise their young in spring in many European countries and then migrate south for late summer, autumn and early winter – some go as far as Africa.

Somehow, Malena the injured stork found a mate and he returned to her every spring and then took their offspring on the migration to Africa.  This went on for 28 years and they raised 66 babies together.  Malena died a natural death in 2021, with her mate Klepetan by her side.

This is their love story.