Ardales Children Rescue Stranded Grey Heron in Coordinated River Effort A group of young residents in Ardales alerted emergency services after spotting an injured grey heron trapped near the local riverbanks. A walk along the riverbanks turned into a successful environmental rescue operation in the inland municipality of Ardales on Thursday evening. Six local children were out exploring when they spotted an adult grey heron entangled in debris and unable to take flight along the waterside brush. Quick Action by Young Residents Rather than approaching or frightening the distressed bird, the children quickly contacted the nature protection unit through local Guardia Civil dispatchers. Officers arrived on scene within minutes to assess the animal, safely untangling it and checking for wing fractures or internal injuries caused by discarded nylon netting. Local environmental officers commended the group for handling the encounter responsibly. Rural nature reserves around the Guadalhorce lakes and river networks support a rich migratory bird population every autumn, and uncoordinated human interventions often cause severe panic or further injury to wading species. Safe Transfer to Wildlife Recovery Centre The bird was carefully placed in a climate-controlled transport container and transferred to the regional Centre for the Recovery of Threatened Species (CREA). Specialists there will monitor its recovery, rehabilitate its flight feathers, and prepare it for release back into the protected wetlands of Málaga province once given full veterinary clearance.