Eagle Kidnapped During Migration Returns to Freedom in Serbia

Feliks, a young Eastern Imperial Eagle, has regained its freedom after a remarkable journey that included being kidnapped during its inaugural migration, held captive in the Middle East, and eventually repatriated on a military plane. The eagle was released this week near Subotica in northern Serbia, concluding over nine months of captivity and a rehabilitation period at the Palić Zoo.

The bird's unusual journey began in July 2025 when it left its nest. Ornithologists tracking Feliks via a telemetry device became concerned when the eagle veered off its expected path toward the Middle East, a region described as "extremely insecure." The signal from Feliks disappeared in late October, with its last recorded location in Syria. Initially, trackers hoped for a device malfunction, but it soon became apparent the bird had been stolen.

Captors, whose identities remain undisclosed, demanded a financial ransom through an associate organization in Lebanon. However, conservationists firmly refused to pay, stating that doing so would finance trafficking networks. This firm stance led to months of negotiations.

The Lebanese Association for the Protection of Migratory Birds played a crucial role, rescuing Feliks from its captors and sheltering it for over half a year in their refuge in northern Lebanon amidst armed conflict. In June, Serbian troops returning from a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon transported the eagle on their military aircraft back to Serbia.

Upon arrival, Feliks was placed under the care of the Palić Zoo team. "He arrived exhausted, after the long and demanding transport. The first few days, the biggest concern was whether he would accept food and how he would react after everything he had been through," said Sonja Mandić, the zoo's director. Veterinarians, biologists, and caretakers monitored Feliks daily, assessing his health, physical condition, and behavior, and experimenting with different foods to determine his preferences. After more than a month of observation, feeding, and flight exercises in a large aviary, Feliks showed readiness to return to the wild and was released on August 6th.

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Llegó exhausto, tras el largo y exigente transporte. Los primeros días, la mayor preocupación era si iba a aceptar la comida y cómo iba a reaccionar después de todo lo que había vivido