In the amazing natural environment, some birds capture our imaginations. We point to swans as an example of true love since they mate for life. We admire eagles for their power to fly at high altitudes. Owls have been associated with wisdom since the ancient Greeks used an owl for the symbol of Athena, goddess of wisdom. White storks (白鹳), too, deserve high praises, which have been featured in legends since ancient times.

Storks are migratory (迁徙的) creatures which winter in tropical Africa. In spring they make the exhausting trip back to Central Europe, arriving from the end of February to mid-April at the previous year’s nesting site. The Germans and Dutch often constructed high platforms on their roofs for storks to build nests on because they believed storks brought good luck. Germans also believe storks found babies in caves and delivered them to new parents. The parents would let the storks know they wanted a baby by leaving candy on a windowsill (窗台).

A romantic stork story has touched people around the world, especially people in Croatia. In 1993, a retired man named Vokic came upon a wounded female stork near a small Croatian village. Vokic took her home, named her Malena, fed her and kept her company. They even watched TV together. In 2002, Malena acquired a mate named Klepetan. Every fall for 19 years, Klepetan would migrate to South Africa and then return to Malena in Croatia each spring. People would anxiously await the news of Klepetan’s return. Over the years the long-legged couple raised 66 chicks. Vokic built nests for them and helped out with the chicks. Sadly, Malena passed away in 2021, and Croatians mourned. Vokic’s hope is that Klepetan will return this year and perhaps find a new mate.

Malena and Klepetan’s story makes it appear that storks are monogamous (一夫一妻的), but that isn’t always true. They can change mates after migration. Whether storks mate for life or not, they are beloved by many.

America's Best Designed City

Named as the “20-Minute City”and”America’s Best Designed City”,Buffalo’s world-class design makes getting around an easy job.Forbes magazine declared Buffalo the “best U.S. city” for commuting.

In fact, Buffalo’s average commute time—it has been clocked at 20 minutes—is the second-shortest of the country’s 52 largest cities. That translates to an enhanced quality of life for our faculty, staff and students, who enjoy stress-free travel regardless of where they’re headed   around the region.

Best Planned City

Need a Ride?

Free campus busing and shuttles(班车） that make it easy to get around on campus and in between campuses. Mall and market shuttles that take students to nearby grocery stores and a local shopping mall. Weekend and holiday express bus service to New York City and other cities.We can also enjoy the world’s leading car-sharing service here.Bicycle-sharing program lets rides rent bikes for short trips around campus.

Wooden houses surrounded by a thick forest, classical music playing softly in the background, a very special cafe, three meals a day and several outdoor activity areas. This sounds like a dream vacation arrangement (安排). But this is not a place for people. It’s for cats in the province of Samsun, Türkiye.

Kedi Kasabas, or “cat town”, is one interesting place in the country, a place where cats can experience what real comfort is!

The town, which covers an area of around 20 acres, is run by the local city and most admitted guests have a hard backstory. “All cats here are homeless and usually go through suffering s before being brought here. They are either injured or mentally suffer. We treat them and put them back into the town. The environment here is really beautiful for them,” Faruk Kan, a Kedi Kasabas vet, said.

Kan is not the only vet working at the shelter. There’s a whole team looking after the cats and making sure all their needs are met. The place even has a special area for sick or injured cats, where they receive personalized (个性化的) treatment.

There are currently 150 animals living in “cat town”, and the number keeps rising. There are wooden houses where they can rest, and also houses designed for socializing. During the winter they are provided with heated accommodation, so feeling convenient and warm is a sure thing for these furry creatures.

The love for cats seems to be a Turkish favourite. Istanbul is known for being home to several hundred thousand cats. There, people take care of street cats like kings. The four-legged friends are fed and kept healthy and they have already become part of the city view.

Even though cats may have a happy life outdoors in the forest or wandering around in the city streets, there’s nothing like having a stable (稳定的) home, lying next to a human friend.