"Wings of Devotion: The 14,500-Kilometer Love Journey of Klepetan and Malena"

"How Much We Love You, We Don’t Know—But We Can’t Live Without You"

An Eternal Love Story of Two Birds That Touched the World

A heartwarming love story of two storks in Croatia has melted hearts around the world. This tale is about a male stork named Klepetan and his injured female partner Malena, who cannot fly. Despite her inability to join him in migration, Klepetan has been flying over 14,000 kilometers every year for the past 16 years to reunite with her.

Twenty years ago, a man named Stjepan Vokić discovered a wounded female stork, shot by hunters, in Croatia. He brought her home and placed her on the roof, where she eventually formed a bond with a male stork. Stjepan named them Malena and Klepetan.

It seemed likely that the male would leave once he realized Malena couldn't fly, but he never did. Every March since then, Klepetan returns from his long migration from South Africa to meet his beloved Malena in a small Croatian village. Their devotion has become a symbol of eternal love, drawing visitors from afar who come just to see them.

During their reunion, the two birds mate and have built a family together. Over the years, they have raised 62 chicks. Every spring, Malena eagerly awaits Klepetan's return, and in his absence, Stjepan takes tender care of her.

Now 71 years old, Stjepan has been looking after Malena since 1993 when he found her injured near a pond. Before predators could harm her, he took her in and has since provided her with warmth, food, a nest, and even creams for her feet during the cold winter months.

To track Klepetan’s journey, Stjepan fitted him with a GPS ring. It revealed that Klepetan migrates all the way from a lake in Broski Varos, South Africa, flying about 14,500 kilometers to reach his mate—a journey that takes nearly a month.

Their remarkable story has become a national treasure in Croatia, a living tale of love, loyalty, and compassion that transcends species and borders.

Wings of Devotion: The 14,500-Kilometer Love Journey of Klepetan and Malena

In the quiet countryside of Brodski Varoš, a small village in Croatia, a love story unlike any other has been unfolding for over two decades—one that has captured the hearts of millions across the globe. It is the story of Klepetan and Malena, two storks whose tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and unwavering devotion serves as a gentle reminder of the enduring power of love.

A Chance Encounter

The story began in 1993, when a retired school janitor named Stjepan Vokić, then in his forties, was walking by a pond near his home. There he spotted a female stork lying helplessly near the water’s edge. She had been injured by hunters—her wing shattered, making it impossible for her to fly. In a world where wounded birds often fall prey to nature’s cruel cycle, this stork was destined for a different fate

Moved by compassion, Stjepan gently carried the bird home. He built a makeshift nest on the roof of his house and did everything he could to comfort and heal her. He named her Malena, meaning "little one" in Croatian. Despite his best efforts and veterinary care, her wing never recovered. Malena would never fly again—but she had found a safe haven, and soon, something even more extraordinary.

The Arrival of Klepetan

A few years later, a wild male stork landed on Stjepan’s roof. The bird showed great interest in Malena, and despite her disability, a bond quickly formed between them. Stjepan named him Klepetan, a name inspired by the clattering sound storks make with their beaks. The pair became inseparable, nesting together, preening each other, and communicating in their own silent language.