Celebrity crane tires of country life and lands outside city railway station

A rare crane which has become a celebrity in Taiwan after getting lost on its journey from Siberia had to be rescued after a new misguided foray to a subway station. The bird, which has made the wetlands in the north of its country its home for almost a year, was gripped by wanderlust once more, ending up at least 30km away to Songshan railway station in the capital Taipei. Passers-by and commuters were stunned when the tall, elegant bird landed outside the station and stayed there, seemingly unafraid of the crowds. After an emergency call to animal rescuers, it is now in a temporary shelter.

It is not immediately clear why the crane left the sanctuary after staying there a whole year, surviving three typhoons. Such birds are sensitive to people and would normally be watched from at least 200 metres away

Conservationist Liao Jen-hui

Last year, the beautiful white bird was separated from its flock when it took a wrong turn on a migratory route from Siberia to China. The year-old male has become a tourist attraction, with fans travelling to the northern district of Jinshan to catch a glimpse. The farmer who owns the wetlands where the bird now lives has stopped using pesticides to ensure it can eat untainted food. And it even has a security guard during daylight hours to protect it from stray dogs.

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