LAKE GENEVA — A marabou stork which likely escaped captivity was spotted around Fond Du Lac and Sheboygan this month. The stork now has a temporary new home at Safari Lake Geneva, but you probably will not get to see it yourself.
The stork native to Africa is currently under quarantine and will remain hidden away from the public. Safari Lake Geneva owner "Jungle" Jay Christie is searching for a place where the stork can live with birds of a feather.
"For her own well being, we want to integrate her with other marabou storks sooner rather than later," Christie said. "As marabou storks go, she's a real sweetheart I would say."
WATCH: Lake Geneva wildlife park owner takes in the African stork that was seen around Wisconsin
Safari Lake Geneva is a conservation park with experience caring for exotic birds such as ostriches and emus. Christie says that's why they got the call to take in the stork before it made a deadly mistake.
"She was fending for herself in the great wilds of Wisconsin as she had been for, we estimate, a month," Christie said. "She was attempting to fly across the road and there were also near-vehicle collisions when she was walking across the road."
Christie believes the marabou stork escaped captivity, but is not sure where from yet. He says the bird is ready to return to a sheltered life after its experience out in the wild.
"She absolutely was ready to say goodbye to life on the lam and come back to a more predictable lifestyle," Christie said.
Christie said several places have contacted him with offers to permanently take in the marabou stork, but have not decided on the stork's future home yet.
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