SANAA, APRIL
25, 2019 22:37 IST
UPDATED: APRIL
25, 2019 22:37 IST
Yemeni
fighters mistook GPS tracker on a bird for an undercover device sent by Huthi
rebels
Griffon
vulture Nelson crossed into war-torn Yemen in search of food but ended up in
the hands of Yemeni fighters — and temporarily in jail for suspected espionage.
The
sand-coloured bird came down in the country’s city of Taez, an unusual move for
a young vulture that can soar for long distances across continents in search of
food and moderate weather.
Nelson,
approximately two years old, embarked on his journey in September 2018 from
Bulgaria, where his wing was tagged and equipped with a satellite transmitter
by the Fund for Wild Fauna and Flora (FWFF).
But he
seemed to have lost his way, eventually coming down into Taez — under siege by
Huthi rebels but controlled by pro-government forces, who mistook Nelson’s
satellite transmitter for an espionage device and detained the bird.
Forces
loyal to the government believed that the GPS tracker attached to the bird may
have been a spy device for the rebels.
Hisham
al-Hoot, who represents the FWFF in Yemen, travelled from the rebel-held
capital Sanaa to Taez to plead with local officials to release the helpless
animal.
No comments:
Post a Comment