The dramatic story of the fifth egg in the nest of the famous stork pair Odarka and Hrytsik has come to an end in the Pyriatin National Nature Park. This year, the chick never hatched: due to intense heat, the egg exploded right in the nest.
Exact time and cause of the tragedy
According to Anatoliy Podobailo, co-founder of the park, and ornithologist Iryna Sarazhynska, the incident occurred on June 28 at 16:04. The egg had been in the nest since mid-April. For over a month, the parents took turns incubating it, but life never developed inside.
After the incubation period ended, the unfertilized egg remained in the nest for another month, occasionally rolling around on the branches. Sarazhynska explained the cause of the explosion through physical processes: in hot weather, gases accumulate inside old eggs, pressure builds up, and the shell cannot withstand the load.
History repeats itself
A similar situation has happened in this nest before. In 2024, an unfertilized egg exploded almost at the same time of year — on June 30. This year, Odarka laid five eggs, but only four chicks survived. Based on a vote by viewers of the online broadcast, they were named Lelevych, Mahon, Mochta, and Nyka.
The first egg of this season appeared in the nest on April 13. Observers followed the events with tension, hoping for the arrival of a fifth storkling, but nature had other plans.
The harsh laws of the wild
Experts remind us that in the wild, storks are guided by survival instincts. Last year, the male threw the weakest chick out of the nest. Experts explained this behavior as a natural mechanism, which may be related to a lack of food or the weakness of the individual. Fortunately, the storkling, named Katrusya, was saved at that time.