White Storks

SATURN
Satellite Tracking Map

Saturn is the only surviving White Stork out of the five nestlings originally fitted with satellite transmitters. Misty was pronouced dead after its activity counter was stuck on the same number for several days. Whereas Tiger, Rembrandt and Leo simply vanished, their signals suddenly where not there anymore. Later, Tiger's carcass and transmitter were found and we are hoping to recover the expensive transmitter for re-deployment.

On the 6-May-2001 Saturn left Zimbabwe and crossed over to Mozambique, the signal coming from the southern shore of Cabora Bass Dam; on the 7-May-2001 it was in Zambia, and on 8-May-2001 it was close to Lake Bangweulu (Zambia). On 9-May-2001 it moved northward about 190 km.
10-13 May 2001: Saturn continues noving north, now in the Democratic Republic of Congo, well into Central Africa.
18 June 2001: Saturn continues moving around Kalemie (Zaïre), next to the western shores of Lake Tanganyika; it has been in this area since 13 May 2001.
On the 22nd of June 2001 Saturn flew over to to Lualaba River, it has been moving along this river for the last four weeks.
1-August-2001: Saturn moved back, closer to the southern end of Lake Tanganyika, where it has remained in that area until the 03-Sep-2001.
On the 4th Sept. 2001, Saturn started moving north once again, on 06-Sep-2001 it changed into a NE course and it is now in Rwanda (09-Sep-2001).
14-September-2001: Saturn moved south into Burundi.
The last signals coming from Saturn were receibed on 18-Sep-2001. We had a confirmed report that the bird was found and taken to a police station somewhere in Burundi. Apparently Saturn was not in good condition, we hope it will recover and be released soon. Unfortunately that is all we know about Saturn's fate. Some reports state that Saturn was taken into "custody" on charges of spying, on accouunt of the extrange looking device on its back, which was duly removed and put in a safe. We don't know if the bird was eventually set free.

Close up on Saturn

Misty, Leo and Saturn left their nest site at Tygerberg Zoo on 21 January 2001. Misty and Leo were from the same nest, on top of the panther cage at the Tygerberg Zoo. The three birds travelled together on their first day, with their first overnight stop just north of Fraserburg, Northern Cape. Next day they parted company.

Saturn took the route with the fewest side explorations, and headed northeast across the North West Province and the Northern Province of South Africa. On 31 January, Saturn was crossing the Kruger National Park, and next day was in Mozambique, in the flood plain of the Limpopo River near Pafuri, where the borders of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa meet. Saturn continued northeast in Mozambique, and has been moving along the flood plain of the Save River for the 10 days since 4 February.

See also the birds that stopped on their tracks!