Rare storks first to be born in region in 600 years

Two rare baby white storks are the first to be born in the West Midlands region in more than 600 years.

They were born in Staffordshire as part of a conservation project that aims to reintroduce the birds.

The newborns need 24-hour care, according to experts at Celtic Rewilding, a conservation company based in the county that is looking after them.

They are fed with a white glove and red tweezers so the offspring think they are being fed by an adult stork rather than a human.

"We've assembled this flock here to try to breed this lost species in Staffordshire again," said Harvey Tweats, one of those involved in the project.

"We've had two baby chicks hatch, under controlled conditions, and we're just really, really excited."

The parents have become inseparable, those behind the scheme said.

The birds were once a familiar sight across the UK but vanished due to habitat loss and hunting.

It is hoped this project will help reverse that, and it has been supported by locals.

"They're not shy of people, so one day you could have a pair of white storks nesting near your house, on your community building," said Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's Katie Last.

"And those storks are families - they'll come back each year, and you will have a great bond and connection with those storks."

Tom Whitehurst from Celtic Rewilding added that people had been contacting them to say how amazed they were to discover the species once lived in the Midlands.

The babies are expected to grow to full size in just two months, reaching about 3ft (1m) in height and having a wingspan of 6.5ft (2m).

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