Flamingo doing nicely

MEMBERS of local animal protection associations had to assist an injured flamingo on Vera’s Playazo beach.

A beachgoer who saw the bird limping and bleeding contacted one of the charities but meanwhile two other people on the beach managed to get hold of the bird and removed a fishing hook from its foot before releasing it.

Volunteers from the Eleos and SOS Vencejos associations arrived at the beach and with the help of a lifeguard caught the flamingo and advised the authorities that they were taking if to an Almeria veterinary clinic.

The bird is recovering well, said Maleni Ros from SOS Vencejos, whose volunteers are more accustomed to rescuing swifts.

“It is unusual to see a flamingo on the beach, as usually they remain in the Salar de los Canos wetlands,” she explained.

“Possibly it is part of a flock, but stopped on the shore and trod on the fishing hook.  Or it could have left the Salar to go after the remains of the fish that anglers leave on the beach in the early hours of the morning.”