For several years now, a stork called Klepetan has made the long journey of migrating from South Africa to a rooftop found in a small village in Croatia.
Every year, millions of birds make journeys of thousands of miles to migrate to warmer weather. But Klepetan’s trip is quite unique, as he makes the trip to see someone very special to him. His mate, Malena, has been living on the rooftop nest in Croatia for around 15 years now. However, as her wing is broken, she can’t join her mate when he makes the 8,000-mile journey to South Africa every fall. Despite this, he has always come back to her every single year.
The happy stork couple has been able to raise over 40 baby storks during this time, making their family grow every year. They have become the most famous birds in the region, with many townspeople coming to see them. Now that their story has gone viral on the Internet, millions of people know about Klepetan and Malena.
What makes the story even more surprising is that storks don’t usually mate for life. However, animal relationships can sometimes be quite surprising. Nobody really knows why Klepetan chooses to go back to the same village to see his mate each year, but his story has become quite the inspiring tale of love in Croatia.
The storks have made a human friend, Stjepan Vokic, who lives in the home where the birds have chosen to set up their nest on the roof. He is now their caretaker, setting up a bucket full of fish for Klepetan when he returns every year. He has also taken several photos of the storks and their babies to share with the world, allowing everyone to see just how adorable animals can be.