After majestically sauntering into an ongoing funeral session, a red-crowned crane appeared to bow to the deceased, leaving those around it amazed.
A video of the bird seeming to pay its respects was uploaded to YouTube by @cp marketinfo on Apr 19. It is said to have taken place at the funeral of an 87-year-old man in Panjin, in China’s Liaoning province.
The video begins with the crane walking into the funeral parlour.
According to China Press, the crane watched attendees bowing to the deceased and began mimicking their movements.
When a relative called out to the crane, it is said to have squawked in reply.
https://youtu.be/qADPZCXDafA
Netizens mentioned in comments that in Chinese mythology, cranes are believed to carry souls into heaven. This could be why the deceased’s family welcomed their feathered visitor by offering it corn and vegetables.
Other family members also made a quick trip to a nearby supermarket to get some fresh fish for the crane.
The long-legged bird seemed pleased by its welcome and stayed the entire afternoon before flying away around 4 pm.
Other netizens speculated that this was a publicity stunt by the funeral home, which trained the crane to act that way for an additional fee.
The Panjin City Forestry and Wetland Conservation Authority confirmed that the red-crowned crane is a first-class protected animal in China. This means that businesses are prohibited from exploiting the bird for commercial purposes.
This is not the first time that wild animals have been spotted engaging in seemingly “human” activities. Even in Singapore, a family of otters was caught on camera apparently “praying for rain to stop” at a small shrine in Lengkok Bahru. /TISG
Otter family spotted ‘praying for rain to stop’ at Lengkok Bahru