Stork rescued in Frýdlant after ingesting industrial rubber bands

A white stork was found on a farm in Dětřichov, Frýdlant region on 3 August with a bundle of industrial rubber bands lodged in its beak and throat, preventing it from drinking. Local residents alerted the Liberec‑based rescue centre Archa Zoo, which made several attempts to capture the bird. After two unsuccessful tries, volunteers succeeded on the third attempt on the evening of 5 August and freed the stork from the tangled material.

Experts explained that storks can mistake such rubber bands for snakes and ingest them, a hazard previously recorded in dead white storks abroad. The rescued bird was released back into the wild and is now being monitored by volunteers. The incident highlights the danger that plastic waste poses to large wading birds in the region.