Sailors save giant bird in Dapeng

A Milvus lineatus. File photo

A giant bird fell into the sea and was rescued by sailors in the area between Qixing Bay and Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in Dapeng New Area on Saturday, the Daily Sunshine reported.

About 12 p.m. Saturday, members of Shenzhen Alumni Sailing Team of Hohai University were training near the Qixing Bay and the nuclear power plant. “We spotted a fallen bird in the water and initially believed that it was catching fish as normal,” a member of the team said.

Soon they could tell the bird looked more like a hawk. As most of the birds of prey are under State protection, team members rapidly carried out a rescue, and safely got it onshore and reported to the local authority. The raptor was handed over to the police and then transferred to Shenzhen Wild Aid Center at around 3 p.m.

On July 19, a reporter from the Daily learned that the rescued bird is a Milvus lineatus (black-eared kite) – wildlife classified under Level-II State protection.

No injuries were found, and the hawk is now stable. The center will release the bird to the wild as soon as its physical condition allows.

Staffers of the center advise citizens to avoid contact with fallen birds. The center can be reached by dialling the hotline 23737770, and professional advice should be followed. Furthermore, feeding the animal is strongly discouraged.