An Unusual Friendship Continues for the 13th Year

A special friendship between a stork and a Turkish fisherman has reached its 13th anniversary. Yaren the stork has just reunited with fisherman Adem Mas for another season of companionship and fishing together.

Early Return From Migration

This year, Yaren returned from his annual migration a bit earlier than expected. The stork's name, which means "friend" in Turkish, perfectly describes the bond these two share. Adem was ready and waiting for his feathered friend's return. The friendship means so much to Adem that he proudly displays Yaren's name on the front of his fishing boat.

How Their Friendship Began

Their unusual bond started over a decade ago when a hungry stork landed on Adem's fishing boat. Adem shared fish from his daily catch until the stork had eaten his fill before flying away. At first, Adem didn't think much about this encounter. After all, he regularly feeds hungry animals, including a group of cats that wait for him at the dock each evening for their treats.

A Surprising Return

But something special happened the next day - the stork came back. He spent the entire day with Adem, sometimes accepting fish and otherwise just keeping the fisherman company. This continued daily for months until migration season arrived and the stork flew away for warmer weather. Adem assumed he would never see his feathered companion again.

A Friendship That Lasts

To Adem's surprise, six months later, Yaren returned and perched on his boat as if no time had passed. The stork spent another entire season with the fisherman. This pattern has continued faithfully for 13 years now.

Family Connections

These days, Yaren often brings his mate along to visit Adem. Whatever fish they don't eat during these visits, they take back to their nest to feed their chicks. When people ask Adem about the money he loses by giving away his fish, he dismisses the thought. He says he would go hungry himself before he'd stop feeding his special friend.

Community Support

The village where Adem lives has embraced this extraordinary friendship. They've erected a statue of Yaren in the village and installed a livestream camera to watch over the stork's nest. This way, everyone can share in the joy of this remarkable bond between man and bird that has spanned over a decade and shows no signs of ending.