It was in December 2006 when I got an austrian newspaper-article about stork “Flori”, a stork with a leg prothesis like "Fritz", living on a Storchenhof in Tillmitsch/Austria. Of course I was very curious to learn more about and contacted this Storchenhof. The people there were so happy about the interest and so I still get once in a while pictures from the animals there and their stories. I could imagine, that you also have fun reading about!? Here is their HP:

http://www.der-storchenvater.com/

Somewhere is written, so to say as a motto:
Störche kennen keine politischen Grenzen und verbinden auf ihrem Zug ganze Kontinente. Also nehmen wir Menschen uns dies als Vorbild und versuchen, in unserem Verein ein harmonisches Miteinander von Mensch und Natur zustande zu bringen.

Storks don´t know political borders and combine whole continents on their migration. So let us peoples take that as an example and try in our club (!? Verein) to manage a harmonious cooperation between men and nature.

But here comes Flori´s story as I read it in the newspaper: Flori was about 6 years old, when he stepped into a (forbidden) pitfall. His leg was so bad damaged, that the vet had to amputate his left leg. What than came was blessing in disguise. The vet contacted an orthopedics company which belonged to Mr. Karl Skergeth. When this animal lover heard about Floris disaster he didn´t even think a minute but was immediately ready to make an artifical leg (!? prothesis). They didn´t find anything like this in the internet, so they tried themselves and made one out of synthetic fiber. Already the very first steps worked fine!

And here are pictures and "the stories behind", which I got from the Storchenhof1

Flori with his prothesis:





The pitfall in which Flori lost his leg. The prothesis is leaned against it:



Now you must imagine one thing, Flori was a breeding stork and he was looking for food for his brood when it happened. But Flori wanted to take care of his brood! So he flew around with this pitfall on his leg,- imagine! His wife got such a shock, that she didn´t take care of the brood anymore she was only all the time with Flori and Flori wasn´t able to find food, because he couldn´t walk,- but fly! So the firebrigade was very helpful and every day (I don´t know how many times a day they came) climbing up and feeding the chicks!

Flori they couldn´t catch because he could fly. When he was already very weak they were able to catch him and bring him to the vet - who only could amputate that already black coloured leg.

Helmut Rosenthaler taking care about Flori after the amputation:



Flori with “his team” :


the two on the left made the prothesis, 2nd from left is Karl Skergeth. 2nd from right is the vet beside of Helmut Rosenthaler.

To be continued

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Have a nice day!
Brit

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

I wish the whole world could read this.......humans can learn alot from storks!!!! Thank you so much for the beginning of a new story to fall in love with.

What an amazing story - wow - wonderful told, ... sweet
"Imagine" - yes, just about

It's Fritz all over again. What a pretty stork

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ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL

On the Storchenstation in Tillmitsch are quite a few storks etc. and I`ld like to introduce one after the other and tell a few side stories of whats happening there. It´s a wonderful place for the birds!

Here comes the

Lovestory from Maxl and Stitzi during the year 2003

"Maxl" and "Stritzi" are two storks living on the Storchenstation. Maxl is male, Stritzi female. Maxl is 10 years old and years ago one wing was so badly injured, that the vet had to amputate it. Stritzi was born in 2000 in Wieselsdorf near Poreding

In spring 2003 these two were very much in love. They decided to built a nest in the meadow. When they had finished the nest Stritzi laid one egg. Unfortunately after only one week she damaged it.

In August it was time to say “good bye” for Stritzi, who started her migration with other storks. One winged Maxl of course had to stay on the Storchenhof.

But he longing for Maxl was so great, that after two weeks absence, probably in Hungaria or so, Stritzi turned and came back home to Maxl to spend the winter season with him and wait together with him for the springtime season!

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Have a nice day!
Brit

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

Awww - that is so sweet. I KNEW storks loved each other!!!

This is a story that is going to be priceless.....Thank you dear Brit

My words too

Tillmitsch – Advertisement:



13 storks are nowadays there on the Storchenstation of Tillmitsch. A trademark for the whole village!

But not all are able to fly!

There is for example Blackstork „Blacky“. Obviously on one eye blind from birth. Right during his very first flight he stroke a rooftop and injured one wing. Black is in the meantime 7 years old.

There are another 2 blackstorks living on the Storchenstation. 2 female, 3 years old. With one of them Blacky made friends,- maybe one day they´ll found a family!?
Here a picture of „Blacky“ and his beloved „Ossi“

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Have a nice day!
Brit

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)