Klepetan and Malena

Klepetan and Malena are a pair of white storks (Ciconia ciconia) who became renowned in Croatia for their romantic endeavors. Since 2001, Klepetan has traveled from South Africa to Brodski Varoš, Croatia, each spring to mate with Malena, who is unable to travel due to a gunshot injury.

Klepetan and Malena
2001–current
A sketch of Klepetan and Malena

Story

Croatia is a popular nesting spot for white storks; some 1,500 nesting pairs reside in the country, with some villages having more storks than people.[1] Croatian janitor Stjepan Vokić found Malena while fishing in 1993; she had been shot by hunters and was unable to fly. Vokić rescued Malena and became her caretaker. In 2001, a male stork, whom Vokić named Klepetan, began to visit Malena. Klepetan returned every spring to mate with Malena. Through a radio tracking band, it was determined that Klepetan made a 13,000-kilometre (8,000 mi) month-long journey from South Africa to Croatia to meet up with Malena each year.[2][1] Vokić takes care of their chicks since Malena cannot hunt, building them a nest, shelter, and feeding them.[1][3] In 2017, Klepetan returned to find another bird and a newly laid egg in Malena's nest. Klepetan drove the male away and smashed his competitor's egg.[4] The pair had 66 chicks in total.[5][6]

In 2019, a bird that may have been Klepetan showed up unusually early to Brodski Varoš. He was thought to have died on August 28, however there is some speculation that it was a different stork due to its odd behavior. Klepetan returned to Malena once again in April 2020 despite rumors of death.[7]

In society

A 2017 documentary focused on the storks and Vokić.[8] The Croatian tourism board created an animated video of Klepetan and Malena to promote Croatia.[9] The pair of storks was the subject of a video that led to Lebanon adopting protections for migratory birds.[10] The pair have been described as "Croatia's most unusual love story".[11]

References
  1. Avakian, Talia (April 23, 2018). "This Stork Flies Over 8,000 Miles Every Spring to Visit His True Love". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  2. "Meet Klepetan: The Stork Who Flies 8000 Miles From South Africa to Croatia Each Year to Visit His Love". www.mentalfloss.com. 2019-08-26. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  3. "The man who adopted a stork". BBC News. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  4. "TAKO VAM JE TO U BRAKU / Vratio se Klepetan, ovog puta Malena je bila sama pa je sve prošlo bez nasilja u gnijezdu". 100posto (in Croatian). Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  5. "Stork Which Returned To Malena Might Not Be Klepetan". www.total-croatia-news.com. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  6. "Klepetan Returns to Malena for the Last Time Before Passing Away". Total Croatia News. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  7. "Svi su mislili da je uginuo, ali Klepetan se ipak vratio Malenoj". www.index.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  8. "Stjepan & Malena - The Old Man and the Stork". www.autentic-distribution.com. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  9. "Stork in the middle with you: the story of Klepetan and Malena". Time Out Croatia. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  10. Sinke (2017-05-18). "Watch a Touching Message from Croatia". Croatia Times. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  11. "Klepetan and Malena – Croatia's most Unusual Love Story". Total Croatia News. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
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