ZAGREB (AFP) - A male stork proved once again that distance is no bar to true love as it flew thousands of kilometres (miles) back to its handicapped mate in a Croatian village, local media said Thursday.
This is the fifth year in a row that the stork, named Rodan, has made the epic journey of some 13,000 kilometers (8,060 miles) from South Africa to the village of Brodski Varos, in eastern Croatia, the Jutarnji List daily reported.
“This year he came a bit earlier,” Stjepan Vokic, who cares for the female stork, named Malena, unable to fly since hunters shot through its wing, told the paper.
Rodan looked rather exhausted, Vokic added.
Every year the couple has raised a brood of chicks which Rodan has taught to fly since Malena cannot, Vokic said. This year is expected to be no different.
In August, Rodan and the young will start to prepare for their long journey to winter in South Africa while Malena remains in Brodski Varos until the return of its mate in the spring.

 350 Org is the organization behind last year’s October 24th Climate Action day that was “the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history” says CNN.

This year we are going to attempt more concrete action on the ground. SO : the tenth day of the tenth month of 2010 will be Global Work Party ! Where we are urging our global community to take real tangible action to combat climate change. We hope communities will (re)cover their lives, their homes and their communities by putting up solar panels, insulating homes, erecting windmills, planting trees, painting bikepaths, launching or harvesting local gardens.

350 org and the climate change community will ensure the world experiences and sees this huge day of effort–and will use it to send a message to our leaders:  “We’re working–what about you? If we can cover the roof of the school with solar panels, surely you can pass the legislation or sign the treaty that will spread our work everywhere, and confront the climate crisis in time.”