Gandalf the giant vulture no longer a threat to Scottish pilots
24.08.10
Gandalf, the giant vulture, which stands around 4 feet tall with a 10-and-a-half foot wingspan, can soar at up to 37,000 feet and triggered an alert in Scottish airspace after flying off during a display at a birds of prey centre, was safely back where she belongs yesterday.
The seven-year-old female Ruppell's Griffon vulture, was performing at the World of Wings birds of prey centre in Cumbernauld, near Glasgow, on August 17 when she flew off. Pilots using Scottish airports were warned of the potential danger, as Gandalf can fly at the same altitude as commercial aircraft.
However, she was spotted hanging around near an old brickworks in nearby Falkirk. Joanna Timson, one of the falconers at World of Wings, said: ‘She's back with us safe and sound. We got her back on Saturday night but we wanted a vet to check her. She had lost a pound in weight. We don't think she ate much while she was away. She was so pleased to see us that she flew straight towards us when we got out of a van at the site where she was spotted.’
Gandalf is now back performing in public displays, exhausted but on form having slept off her adventures most of Sunday.
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