A rare eastern imperial eagle has been rescued from animal traffickers and released back into the wild in Serbia after months in captivity.
The 12‑month‑old raptor, dubbed Feliks, fled his nest last year only to be captured during a poaching raid in Syria. The traffickers demanded a ransom, which Serbian conservationists refused, leading to a protracted negotiation.
After a six‑month recovery in a wildlife centre in Beirut, Lebanon, Feliks was flown back to Serbia on a military transport plane, where he was given to the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS) and monitored at Palic Zoo’s shelter.
On Thursday, after a month of careful monitoring, Feliks was released into the wild on the Serbian border. Experts will track his progress and hope he reproduces in the wild.
Serbia’s population of the critically endangered eastern imperial eagle has grown from a single pair in 2017 to 29 pairs in 2024 thanks to intensive conservation work.
Serbian peacekeepers brought him home on a military transport plane.
Feliks spent months in recovery before his release again.
