Putin saves stricken seagull

The seagull has found a new home

President Vladimir Putin has come to the rescue of an injured seagull he found in the grounds of his holiday home in southern Russia.

Russia's Centre TV reports Mr Putin discovered the stricken bird during a short break at his Bocharev Ruchey country residence, in the popular Black Sea resort of Sochi.

One of the gull's wings was broken, but after some care and attention, it now appears to be on the mend.

"Quite how the bird made it into grounds of the high-security presidential dacha is a mystery," the TV said.

"But it got lucky: the president decided to look after it."

"Any Olympic champion would be jealous of the attention that was lavished on this bird," the TV correspondent said.

The bird is now reported to be recovering at a local bird sanctuary, but the damage to its wing means it may never be able to return to the wild.

Mr Putin's image as an animal-lover is one that features regularly in the Russian media.

Channel One TV recently showed his favourite pet Labrador Koni observing her master's meeting with a regional governor.

And as he cast his vote in last year's parliamentary elections, the Russian president told reporters of his joy after Koni gave birth to a litter of eight puppies.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.