The Shoebill's Shy Crush
Cackle-cackle! Cackle-cackle!
It sounded narcissistic at first glance. But Sugar's mumbling suddenly shifted tone.
—Oh, no... I'm ugly. That's why. Or maybe... I can't fly as well as Shushu... Or, uh, maybe my beak is dirty... so dirty...
As the self-deprecating mutter continued, Choi Eun-seo let out a soft sigh.
"Even when I bring her favorite food right to her, she won't touch it. She's lost a full kilogram in just a few months. It's not that she doesn't like the food...?"
"It's not about the food."
"Pardon? How do you know that?"
Choi Eun-seo raised an eyebrow, staring at me like I was some shaman. She'd been doing that a lot ever since the hippo family checkup.
"Look at Sugar's mouth. If she had no appetite, she wouldn't be drooling like that."
"Exactly! That's why it's so baffling. She used to hunt and eat right away before. Should we move to the exam room? You'll check her out now, right?"
"Yeah, but let's observe a bit more here first. If we need to, we can head there later."
Rushing straight to the exam room would draw too many eyes. Better to chat where no one's watching.
"Got it, sunbae. Oh, right! The PD asked me to help with some interviews..."
"Go ahead. I'll call if I need you."
"Hehe, just holler if you need anything."
Luckily, Choi Eun-seo was all starry-eyed over the camera attention.
Plus, the vast African aviary offered endless filming fodder, so the crew's focus quickly shifted away from me.
'Perfect. Time to get a real look.'
I sidled up to Sugar, who was still staring blankly at his reflection on the water's surface.
"Hey. I'm Baek Min-hyeok, the vet. The director sent me your way."
—H-Hi... Wh-What brings you h-here?
Unlike his dinosaur-like tough exterior, Sugar flinched, his broad beak quivering at my greeting.
"No need to be scared. I'm just here as a love coach to help things along between you and Shushu. Oh, and I understand animals, so talk freely."
—R-Really?!
"Yup. Shoebills, hippos, orangutans—you name it."
—N-No, I mean... C-Can you really h-help me and Shushu g-get closer...?
Hmm. More focused on his romance than my animal-hearing trick. Despite the timid vibe, some instincts lingered.
"We've got time, so let's chat step by step. I heard you're barely eating lately? Tied to Shushu somehow?"
—It's... Shushu said...
Sugar emerged from the papyrus thickets, his bluish-gray wings fluttering nervously as he approached.
His bold gaze—fit for facing tigers or lions—scanned around before he whispered in my ear.
—Sh-She said I c-can't fly w-well... f-for long...
"What does that have to do with not eating? And sorry, but could you stutter a little less?"
—S-S-S-S-Sorryyy...
"No, it's fine. Just relax. So why lose weight?"
Sugar stuttered worse when tense. Frustrating, but I'd endure.
—Y-You can see... Shushu flies a-amazingly... B-But I suck... Th-Think it's my weight... W-Wanna show her I can fly c-cool too...
His massive pterodactyl-like beak drooped pitifully, self-esteem in the pits.
First, boost that shattered confidence.
"You're 5.9kg right now, right?"
—H-H-How do you know? Th-That's s-sensitive i-info...!
"...Vet, remember? Got the details beforehand. That's smack average. Male shoebills can hit 7kg if they're on the heavier side."
—R-Really?
No need to mention the actual male average of 5.6kg. No point crushing him over 300g.
"Of course. And not all shoebills are flight aces. You've gotta have strengths over Shushu. Right?"
—N-N-No... D-Don't say that... Sh-Shushu's w-way better than m-meee...
"...Yeah, okay. Anyway, drop the silly thoughts and eat up. Not overboard, but eat and move to build muscle. Now, about Shushu...?"
—A-Already?
"Why quake your beak? I'm here to advance you two. Gotta know what you know about her to help properly."
Sugar shyly waggled his huge yellow beak before parting it.
—Shushu... h-has a pretty beak.
"Not looks."
—Th-Th-Then...
"Sorry. Just speak easy."
—Shushu... f-feathers so shiny, and...
Sugar seized up at the slightest conversational snag.
I patiently endured his rambling beak-spill.
Meeting Shushu first time.
Love at first sight.
Bringing fish and frogs to win her heart(?)—that sort of thing.
'Asked about her, but it's all about him.'
Fine. An endangered species with rock-bottom confidence might not ramble like this again.
—...I've t-tried all this, b-but no luck. I th-think I'm okay... K-Keepers say so... V-Vet too... V-V-Isitors... b-but Shushu ignores m-me.
Sugar's massive yellow beak sagged.
"Hmm. Bringing food isn't helping. Shoebills are solitary fishermen by nature."
—S-Solitary f-fisherman?
"Yup. That's wild shoebills."
Wild shoebills hunt fish from papyrus swamps or marshes.
Even mating, they hunt solo.
Sugar's eyes sparkled behind his beak in awe.
—Whoa... D-Didn't know. Unl-like Shushu, I h-hatched in human hands... N-Not big on wild...
I knew that.
Sugar was hand-reared from hatching.
Shushu? Rescued from a poacher trap by wildlife rescuers.
Sugar fetching food for her screamed non-wild.
"Don't know? Learn. Even zoo shoebill pairs hunt from opposite ends like wild ones. Nest strong with bushes when breeding succeeds."
—Th-That's why! O-Other birds helped... T-Tried it, b-but awkward. L-Like Shushu, b-but hunting solo f-feels better.
"Natural. That's shoebill instinct."
Humans vary in sleep, work, focus—animals too, obviously. But...
"Other birds helped? Who?"
I'd seen duck-reared cats thinking they're ducks, puppy-with-cat moms vice versa—on Animal Kingdom.
Intriguing among wild animals.
—Y-Yeah. H-Hornbills t-told me lots. H-Hunt separate, f-for mating r-right wing tap twice f-for eggs... B-But no... Ch-Checked Shushu, n-no eggs...
"......"
Hornbills—aka crested argus or whatever—43-74cm flock maniacs.
'Oh, Sugar...'
Hornbills cackling our way? Definitely pranking him on purpose.
Sugar meekly ducking his beak? Clueless victim.
"I'll chat with Shushu first."
—Wh-Wh-Why Shushu?
"Told you. Here for shoebill romance. Gotta check her too."
Hand-reared animals face this—lose wild instincts, if not cat-dog identity crises. Sugar especially...
'Kinda dim?'
No more intel from him. Time for Shushu.
A few steps later...
—Kekeke. Look at him. Sugar's such an idiot.
—Big body, no brains. Hand-reared dummies know zilch.
—Humans raise 'em, that's how.
Hornbills who'd circled us were now huddled, cackling.
Normally, ignore. But Sugar's passivity demanded pre-Shushu bird discipline.
That incessant cackle grated too.
"Ahem. Kids. No pranking Sugar like that."
Gentle dad-voice planned. But...
—Nope. Human talk deaf.
—Kekeke. Matches Sugar. Hey mister, never dated at your age? Why live like that?
—Kekekekeke.
"......"
Flock jabber—explains Sugar's bullying. Numbers overwhelm; one cackle dizzies.
"Listen nicely now. Shoebills are vulnerable endangered. Worldwide, only..."
—Earplugs on~ Can't hear~.
"3,000-5,000 left. Sugar's confidence is low enough..."
—Nope, earplugs~
20s? "Studies and work first"—all buy it.
30s? Humans and beasts fret my future.
'These hornbill punks? Crossing lines on first meet?'
Saemangeum Safari lesson one: Never underestimate birds. Lesson two: Clamp down early.
I knew the fix. As animal whisperer supreme.
"...How many you all? Fifteen? Know why you're thickest here?"
—Ooo, bingo! Bachelor scent!
—Kekekeke! No answer~ Cringe~.
"After chicken, duck, goose, turkey—Korea's top traded bird: you hornbills. Super common."
—Hmph. So what? Whatcha gonna do?
Lead hornbill flared wing like choreography; fourteen ringed me in formation.
—Scared of numbers? Huh? Wanna get plucked today?
The wing-flaunter—long curved wattle, yellow wing spots, pale feathers—smirked, beak high. Boss confirmed.
Rule one: Take the head in outnumbered fights.
"Common means replaceable. Gamebirds like pheasant, quail—meat tastes chicken-ish."
—Wha... What?! Crazy talk from where?
Cackles froze cold at my casual drop.
Hearts docking now.
I leaned to whisper in boss's ear, smirking.
"Listen. Skewers, soup, steamed, roast sashimi. Eat whole—no feet left. You know director and I are tight."
—Y-Yes... Heard that.
"You block shoebill eggs—one word, you're pot-bound that day. Get it?"
—W-We repent, bro!
"Good boys."
—Yes, bro!
"Good boys."
—Yes...
Safari won't guillotine common hornbills.
But nipping shoebill sabotage early—like with hippos—meant threats necessary.
"Tch. Shoulda listened nicely first."
Unprompted, ranks aligned shivering before me. I continued.
"Since we're talking, a favor."
—Your command, bro!
"Tell Shushu I wanna talk. Bring her."
—Uh... Shushu? She's flying now, see...
"I know. Fetch her."
—Bro knows we're galliformes—fly okay, but not Shushu speed...
Waiting fine.
But useful minions? No time waste.
"Know this? Hornbills: protein bombs, zero fat, cholesterol."
—Wh-What...?
"Tasty and healthy."
—Eek! Bringing her now, bro! Go, guys! Flyyy!!!
Cackle-cackle! Cackle-cackle!
Panicked flock scattered like solo battles. Fly-fails crashed into flamingos, others begged finches. Chaos to summon Shushu.
"Uh... Keeper? Something weird? Why the birds?"
"Whoa, huge! PD! Look up!"
Soon, African aviary: massive bird flock chasing shoebill spectacle.
'See? Chickens are birds too.'