Ukrainian boy, 10, tracks rare black stork from Chernobyl to Africa

A 10-year-old Ukrainian boy has taken on an unusual wildlife mission, following a GPS-tagged black stork across countries in a motorhome to understand the dangers it faces during migration. Noah Beshto, a young wildlife documentarian, travelled with Georgian ornithologist Nika Paposhvili as they tracked the bird from an area near Chernobyl in northern Ukraine towards Africa.

As per a report published by Discover Wildlife, Noah described how the journey exposed him to the threats facing the species, including electrocution near power lines, poaching and habitat loss. Noah documented the expedition for his YouTube channel, Noah’s Diary.

The journey was driven by his curiosity about a bird that he believes receives far less attention than its more familiar relative, the white stork. “Everyone knows and loves white storks. In many countries, they are a symbol of family,” he told Discover Wildlife. “But many people don’t even know that black storks exist! They are beautiful, rare and mysterious birds.”

The tracking expedition also brought the young filmmaker face-to-face with the consequences of human activity. In Bulgaria, Noah and Paposhvili found several dead storks near power lines. According to Noah, the birds had been feeding at a local landfill before landing on or colliding with electrical lines and being electrocuted.

The deaths were not an isolated concern. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds has documented bird casualties caused by electrical infrastructure during migration. In one investigation near the village of Stozher in northeastern Bulgaria, conservationists found 35 dead birds along a power line, followed by another 27 storks. The dangerous poles were subsequently secured, the organisation reported in September 2021.

A separate survey in the Burgas region recorded 237 white storks killed by electric shocks in a month, highlighting the risks birds face along an important migration route.

While these findings concern several bird species, they illustrate the wider danger posed by unprotected power infrastructure to migrating storks. Black storks also face pressure from habitat loss, hunting and changing environmental conditions. The species depends on suitable wetland and forest habitats, making damage to these ecosystems another concern for its survival.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature's 2025 assessment lists the black stork as Least Concern globally. However, that classification does not mean individual birds or regional populations are free from threats.

For Noah, the expedition was about more than following one bird. He wants his films to encourage people, especially children, to care about wildlife and take an interest in conservation. His project, Noah’s Diary, began when he was seven and has since grown into a series of wildlife documentaries filmed across 11 countries, according to an interview with Social Impact Heroes.

The interview also described how the black stork expedition helped connect an environmental activist working to address bird deaths caused by power lines with a Bulgarian ornithologist. The two groups are now planning discussions about possible joint projects to reduce such deaths.

Noah said this showed how his work could do more than raise awareness: it could also bring people working on conservation together. He said he wants to help stop pollution, illegal hunting and poaching, while drawing attention to animal cruelty and the suffering of animals kept in inadequate conditions.

He credits wildlife documentaries, including those by naturalist David Attenborough, as an inspiration. He also has a message for other children who believe they are too young to make a difference. “You don’t have to wait until you’re grown up to do something good for our planet. You can start right now!” he told Discover Wildlife.