The world-famous stork who shares an unlikely friendship with a Turkish fisherman has come back to see his old friend for the tenth year running.
The return of Yaren the stork was anxiously awaited by the whole 12-house village of Eskikaraagac, located in the Karacabey district of the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa on 7th March.
The lake at Eskikaraagac is the location of the award-winning documentary called ‘Yaren’, which follows the now ten-year friendship of the stork who migrates from Africa every spring and spends six months on the lake, visiting fisherman Adem Yılmaz on his boat every day.
The successful documentary made Yaren a household name in the country with many people following his annual migrations and how the unlikely pair reunite every year.
According to the national newspaper Bursada Bugun, the unique friendship was first brought into the public domain when it was photographed by nature photographer and bird watcher Alper Tuydes, whose images garnered international acclaim and their story got made into the now-famous documentary that won the best documentary at the last Prague Film Awards.
Alper informed of the arrival of Yaren on Twitter, posting: “We had an anxious wait this year as Yaren’s age has increased. We know that storks generally live for ten years. We estimate that Yaren is between the ages of 10 and 14.”
A day after the stork returned he visited the fisherman Adem who was on his boat waiting for his old friend.
Adem Yilmaz said: “I was wondering if Yaren would come this year. Because it was three days late this year. I am delighted now. I am happy to see Yaren as if I see one of my children. I will fish and feed Yaren during the six months he stays in the village.
“I hope Yaren comes every year and I rejoice. I have three children, and Yaren is the fourth. It would be great if my story with Yaren was a book. I would be honoured for this.”
During spring, tens of thousands of storks migrate from Africa to European countries via Turkey and Eskikaraagac is the only Turkish village to be a member of the European Stork Village Union.
White pelican herd passing over a village of Eskikaraagac, located in the Karacabey district of the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa. 
White pelican herd passing over a village of Eskikaraagac, located in the Karacabey district of the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa.
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Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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