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Last Updated: Wednesday November 30 2005 15:02 GMT

Young vulture takes flying lesson

Gollum the vulture
A vulture that can't fly became airborne for the first time in a wind tunnel designed for indoor skydivers.

Four-year-old Gollum was bred in captivity so didn't learn by launching himself off cliffs like wild vultures.

At the wind tunnel he was blasted into the air by 150mph gusts from fans which are normally used to simulate free-fall for skydivers.

It's hoped the aerial experience will encourage Gollum, who's an African White Back vulture, to fly unaided.

His owners Steve and Tracey Eales run a company which teaches people how to get birds of prey to fly.

But they say they've got their work cut out for them with Gollum, who has a 6ft wing span, because he's lazy and doesn't even understand the concept of flying.

Gusts

Earlier this year Sportsround presenter Adam visited the wind tunnel at the Xscape Centre in Milton Keynes which uses 250 horsepower fans to generate gusts of 150mph.

Gollum's owners are hoping the facility will get the bird used to the sensation of opening his wings and flying by himself.



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