Now from Turkiye comes the story of an annual spring reunion that has captivated the hearts of a nation for 14 years.
It involves a simple rural fisherman Adem Yilmaz, waiting in his boat for the return of a dear friend: a white stork named Yaren.
Casting his lines and nets upon the beautiful Uluabat Lake near Yilmaz’s home of Eskikaraagac Village in the region of Bursa, he has waited patiently, eagerly, for the white stork’s arrival.
“Yaren generally comes at the beginning of the month, and when it didn’t show up, I feared something had happened to it,” Yilmaz told national news. “I spent a week in sorrow, thinking it might have faced danger on the way. But thankfully, Yaren has returned. This morning, it came to my boat and ate the fish I had brought for it.”
It is the 14th year that Yaren has come to the lake to perch on the prow of Yilmaz’s rowboat after making a 2,500-mile journey from the species’ winter breeding grounds in sub-Saharan Africa.
The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) flies this route, via the Balkans, Greece, and Turkiye, or via Gibraltar, every year before returning in spring to nest and raise its young. Eskikaraagac is part of the European Stork Villages Network, an organization that honors and celebrates towns whose members prioritize and engage with stork conservation strategies.
Alper Tuydes, a wildlife photographer from Turkiye, traveled to the lake to wait for Yaren along with Yilmaz for the chance to photograph the charming bond between man and bird that has captivated even the political elite.
“Spring has come, longing is over… That heart-warming reunion happened again on its 14th anniversary,” Ibrahim Yumakli, the Turkish Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, wrote on X. “Uncle Adem and Yaren are together again.”
“It’s a beautiful reminder of the importance of nature, friendship, and the deep connections that can transcend the barriers of species,” wrote Turkiye Today. “For those lucky enough to witness this annual reunion, it’s a heartwarming sight that continues to inspire and delight.”
The story is reminiscent to a similar bond between a Brazilian man and a penguin, which was so famous it was made into a movie.
This article by Andy Corbley was first published by The Good News Network on 20 March 2025. Lead Image: Photo by Anastasiya Dragun on Unsplash.
What you can do
Wildlife continues to face threats, which include hunting, poaching, illegal trade in animal products, habitat loss as well as a rapidly changing climate.
Become a Wildlife Champion today by supporting our conservation partners with a monthly donation as little as $1.
Donate
Leave a Reply