A rare eastern imperial eagle named Feliks has been released into the wild in Serbia after being captured by poachers in Syria and held for months. His rescue highlights both the risks wildlife faces from trafficking and the importance of cross-border conservation efforts to protect critically endangered species.

Feliks left his nest in July 2025 and was tracked heading towards the Middle East before his signal disappeared in October. Poachers later demanded a ransom, which Serbian conservationists refused; after negotiations, he was transferred to Lebanon, taken home on a Serbian military aircraft in June, and recovered at Palic Zoo before his release. Serbia’s eastern imperial eagle population has risen from one breeding pair in 2017 to 29 pairs this year.