'Green Slippers Please!'

What do you do when a little baby bird is born with curled toes - buy it a pair of bright green slippers of course! At least that's what happened at Paradise Park, a wildlife sanctuary for endangered birds in Cornwall .

'Little Crane', was a miracle chick to begin with - In the past eggs laid by its mother had not done so well, because she always laid them inside rather than outside her hut. So when it happened one more time, the people at the park decided to take them and help hatch them safely.

There was great excitement when the little baby peered out of the shell - But when it started to walk around the park, the staff noticed the curled toes, which meant that its feet were not developing the way they should. If not fixed it could mean that the bird may not survive.

So they decided to put tiny green bandages that looked like slippers when wrapped around each toe - and sure enough, within a few days, the little chick was waddling around, toes all straightened out. Now all they need to do is feed it with lots of mealworms, so that it can grow strong enough to be introduced to the rest of its family!

The Grey African Crowned Crane, a native of Uganda, is the country's national bird and featured prominently on its flag. They are omnivores that feed on grass seeds, insects and other small creatures. Sadly though, these beautiful birds are on the endangered list because they are losing their habitat to pollution, overgrazing and population growth. At least 'Little Crane' is safe!

sources: paradisepark.org.uk.