Crane that followed man for a year after he mended its broken leg confiscated by officials

A rare crane that followed a farmer for a year after he mended its broken leg has been confiscated by officials in India.

Arif Gurjar found the Sarus crane injured with a broken leg in a field over a year ago and nursed it back to health using a home remedy made from mustard and turmeric.

Mr Gurjar, who lives in northern India, said he'd expected the wild bird to fly away once recovered but instead the pair became inseparable.

Speaking to ITV News earlier this month, Mr Gurjar said: "We thought after treating him he would go away, but he hasn't. He's become my friend."

Videos of the crane flying alongside Mr Gurjar as he rides his motorcycle had been widely shared on social media and their unlikely friendship made headlines across the world.

However, it now appears that the rare bird has been confiscated by officials in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier this month, ITV News spoke to Mr Gurjar about his unlikely friendship with the Sarus crane

A video posted by Mr Gurjar on Instagram appears to show the bird being loaded into the back of a white open-top van, covered in red tarpaulin.

Mr Gurjar can be seen in the clip watching the bird being driven away. At one point he is seen wiping away a tear.

Officials were said to have moved the protected bird to a wildlife sanctuary, but it has since emerged that the crane has escaped and is now being fed at a nearby village.

Sarus cranes are the world's tallest flying birds and tend to pick a mate for life.

Uttar Pradesh is home to at least 17,000 Sarus cranes, where it is the official "state bird".

Under Indian law it's illegal for individuals to keep Sarus cranes or even feed them.

There are between 15,000 - 20,000 in India but the species is at risk of extinction, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

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