Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its President Vladimir Putin of Russia in his hang-glider, guiding migratory cranes on their way to Asia. Now there's something you don't get to say every day!
The Siberian cranes were raised in captivity and apparently do not know how to fly south. Environmentalists decided that they had to devise a way to lead the cranes, showing them the way to migrate.
President Putin is apparently renowned for several macho stunts, including posing with a tiger cub, and riding a horse bare-chested. He also reportedly petted a polar bear, tranquilized in the wild.
Apparently these stunts irritate Putin's opponents no end, and now he's done it again.
Video screen capture
President Vladimir Putin of Russia in his hang glider, guiding migratory cranes.
image:124348:2::0
He apparently stopped over in the far north of Russia this week on his way to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum in Vladivostok.
As there are only 20 Siberian white cranes left in the world, Putin decided to do his bit to get the tame cranes on the first leg of their 5,000km migration, to spend the winter in central Asia.
He donned a pair of white overalls to better resemble a bird, and took off in his hang-glider, taking the lead of a skein of rare cranes, who then followed their new "leader".
Listen
Print
Social Comments ()
Digital Journal Comments (4)