Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: Screenshot of Paul Bubba's Tiktok account / Paul Bubba 16:44 pm, June 20, 2023

On June 12, a farmer from Haute-Saône filmed a stork in his field. The bird, in difficulty, has its beak stuck in a can of Coca-Cola. The animal was reported a second time last Friday, still trapped by the object. Alerted, animal and environmental defenders quickly reacted and alerted the American company.

Human stupidity beaked by animals? This is not the first time that animal species have been trapped by waste. In the oceans, fish are victims of plastic pollution and are regularly trapped. But this time, it was on land that a bird found itself confronted with the overconsumption of humans. On June 12, a farmer from Haute-Saône filmed a stork in his field in the commune of Charmoille. She was seen walking with her beak in a can of Coca-Cola, which prevents her from eating and drinking. According to L'Est Républicain, she was again observed without being able to be rescued last Friday. This object deprives the bird of food and mainly insects, on which it feeds mainly. Faced with this, the American brand has been challenged several times.

'His life is in danger'

"I can't even catch her, there's nothing we can do. She can't eat anymore, she can't drink anymore," said Paul Bubba, the farmer, in his TikTok video. The distress of the bird was reported a second time to the French Office of Biodiversity which alerts on the health of the stork and believes that its days "are numbered". The video was quickly relayed on the internet and various associations were quick to react. Like the 30 million friends Foundation, which says on Twitter that without "being able to eat, his life is in danger". The association does not forget to specify that "our litter pollutes... and can kill." According to the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), the chances of the stork making itself of the can alone are low.

Haute-Saône. In Vesoul, a stork moves with its beak stuck in a can of Coca-Cola: unable to eat, its life is in danger. Our litter pollutes... and can kill. #RéAgissons! https://t.co/dw5yRLlUIj

— 30 Million Friends Foundation (@30millionsdamis) June 18, 2023

In addition to being difficult, if not impossible to approach, the location of the stork is difficult because the species moves over a large territory. In addition, the storks born during the spring are still in their nests and are preparing for the migration to Africa and Southern Europe that will take place from mid-August. However, these young birds require the help of their parents to be able to feed. With the beak trapped by the Coca-Cola can, the stork can hardly take care of its young.

The American giant arrested

Unfortunately for Coca-Cola, its brand is easily recognizable. It is therefore difficult for the American to hide. This video has not escaped the attention of animal and environmental advocates. Like the director general of the LPO and former deputy Matthieu Orphelin who directly addressed the Coca-Cola company on Twitter. "Say Coca-Cola, I've been trying to reach you for 24 hours without success. Have you implemented any means (drones or others) to find this stork and rescue it? Our ornithologists can be mobilized but it is up to you to urgently seize this subject, "he claims on the social network.

Tell @cocacolafr I have been trying to reach you for 24 hours without success. Have you implemented any means (drones or others) to find this stork and rescue it? Our ornithos are mobilizable but it's up to you to urgently seize this subject.https://t.co/qkB5ljUwY8

— Matthieu ORPHELIN (@M_Orphelin) June 18, 2023

The former MP was quickly supported by the environmental activist Hugo Clément who calls for the deployment of "great means otherwise she will die".