Recep Mirzan, 63, saved a wounded swan 37 years ago.
In the Turkish region of Edirne, the former postman was traveling with pals when he came upon a bird in a field with a damaged wing. Recep rushed to save the unfortunate creature before predators attacked her. The swan spent the entire day in her savior’s car, and he drove her home to a farm near Karaagac in the evening.
The man himself healed and cared for the bird before releasing it into the yard. It was no longer feasible to release it into the wild due to the fracture. His ward, on the other hand, made no move to fly away. After regaining her strength, the swan began to spend all of her time with her savior. She accompanied him on walks in the evenings and followed him around the farm during the day. Recep claims to be an animal lover who would never allow an injured bird to be devoured by foxes. The guy grew quite connected to his ward, whom he named Garip, during the course of their acquaintance.
This term is translated as “strange” from Turkish, however it may also be rendered as “unlucky.” Garip proved to be a gregarious and kind bird. She rapidly developed a rapport with cats and dogs, and she was never attacked by them. The swan never attempted to flee the farm, as though resigned to her predicament and accepting a new fate.
She also substituted the family for widower Recep, who has no wife or children. Garip benefits from a well-fed agricultural life. Swans may live up to 30 years in a protected environment, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, but their typical longevity in the wild is just 12 years.
