A critically endangered white-backed vulture landed injured at a German Airport, much to the surprise of security staff.
The impressive bird was found at the Cologne / Bonn Airport in Germany’s western federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, during a security inspection of the airport on Saturday 15th August.
According to national newspaper express.de, the white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) was found with a broken wing on the apron of the airport or aircraft parking area.
The security staff reported their finding and the fire brigade and a veterinarian were called to the scene to take care of the injured animal.
Airport spokesman Alexander Weise told local newspaper Bild: “We have never had amything landing like this before. Thanks to our colleagues, we were able to help the injured animal quickly and are happy that it is now in good hands.”
The injured bird was taken to an animal shelter called Bergische Greifvogelhilfe in Rosrath, where it will be given medical care until it recovers.
There is no further information as to what the authorities plan to do with the vulture once it has recovered.
According to express.de it is still unclear whether the bird had got lost whilst flying or escaped from a breeder, or how it got injured.
The white-backed vulture is an Old World vulture, listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, breeds in trees on the savannah of west and eastern and southern Africa, and feeds mostly from carcasses of animals which it finds by soaring over the savannah.
The rescued bird eating 
The rescued bird eating
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Story By: Lisa-Maria Goertz, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency: Newsflash
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