Man-bird bond: Arif's stork-friend Sarus quarantined at Kanpur Zoo

A most unlikely political shadow cotinued to disturb Amethi man Arif's stork-friend Sarus, which is now brought to Kanpur Zoo and quarantined a separate enclosure. Sarus was first shifted to a Rae Bareli sactuary after separation from Arif but it disappeared from there. Arif tended to the injured bird in August last and their bond grew ever since until human interference separated them.

Kanpur: The human-bird friendship between Arif and Sarus is on people's lips, but now the rules have created a gap between the two. Some time back, the stork was separated from Arif and taken to Rae Bareli's bird sanctuary but it disappeared from there and later was found near a village. Now, the stork was shifted to the Kanpur Zoo late on Saturday evening.

Tourists coming to the zoo are having a compulsory look at this bird. In August last year, Sarus was found injured in its mouth by one Mohammad Arif, a resident of Amethi. He took care of the wounded bird. Within a few days, it became completely healthy. Arif gave the stork a chance to leave several times. Despite this, it did not leave him.

Their friendship grew stronger in no time. Arif told that there was a very good friendship between Sarus and him. The bird was living with his family for about one year and also used to eat food along with their family together. Videos and pictures related to this friendship between Arif and Saras started appearing on social media.

A few days ago the forest department team separated Sarus and Arif. The Forest Department team had taken the stork to Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareli. The stork had disappeared from there. Although later he was found. After separation from Sarus, Arif posted an emotional post on social media.

'I don't know whether my friend would have eaten food or not, he used to eat food from my hand, he liked potato and tomato curry very much. Perhaps it was not written in our destiny that both of us would live together, that is why now Kanpur Zoological Park is the new abode of the stork," Arif said.

Director of Kanpur Zoological Park K K Singh said that the stork has been brought to Kanpur Park and has been quarantined in a cage. After this, he will be shifted to another cage where the tourists coming to this zoo will be able to see it. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also attacked the state government on Saturday while sharing the video of the stork. Taking a jibe at the government, he wrote, 'What kind of freedom is this, the stork has been sent to Kanpur zoo, will Golu be sent to Gorakhpur zoo as well?'