Trapped Flamingo Chicks Rescued in Fars Province

Around 1,000 flamingo chicks stuck in a salt marsh in Fars Province have been rescued by the locals and environment officials.

According to Nabiollah Moradi, the interim chief of the provincial office of the Department of Environment, the chicks were discovered in late July by park rangers monitoring Bakhtegan Wetland, IRNA reported.

"The chicks were too young to fly and had gotten stuck in Bakhtegan, which becomes a salt marsh in summer as it dries up," he said.

Moradi said methods such as transferring them to a water-filled location were considered but every potential solution risked hurting the vulnerable flamingos.

"We used the water stored deep below the wetland to fill the area where the chicks were trapped, thereby freeing them and allowing them to stay where they are until they mature and are able to fly," he said.

"Despite the difficulties, the local residents' help and understanding was integral, as they helped dig holes and divert water where it needed to go."

Environment authorities believe flamingos had laid eggs in the region in spring, when the wetland is usually filled up after seasonal rainfall. However, the lagoon dried up before the eggs hatched and the chicks got stuck in the salt marsh.