Fans of Vancouver's famous crow, Canuck, have banded together to donate a $10,000 reward to help bring the bird home, after he went missing last week.
Shawn Bergman, who is widely known as the crow鈥檚 human best friend, first alerted fans of the crow鈥檚 alleged disappearance in an emotional post to the Facebook page during the weekend.
Canuck with his human best friend Shawn Bergman. Photo: Canuck and I Facebook
He told Canuck鈥檚 126, 350 followers that the bird had not been seen in the East 麻豆传媒映画area he frequents since Friday, Aug. 30.
At 3 p.m. today it will be five days since Canuck went missing.
Speaking with 麻豆传媒映画 on Wednesday morning, Bergman said he鈥檇 received a few tips on Canuck鈥檚 whereabouts, but nothing substantial.
With little to go off, he said generous fans of Canuck had offered to donate towards a reward to help bring the bird home.
鈥淲e just want to get him back, so we are trying everything that we can,鈥� Bergman told V.I.A.
鈥淸The money] has been put together by a number of donors who have requested to be anonymous.
鈥淲e had it up to $5, 000 but then one person contacted me and said they wanted to add $5, 000, so that was a very, very nice donation that they made. Apparently Canuck has helped that person quite a lot and they just want to help to bring him home.鈥�
He said he was extremely grateful for all the support and messages from the community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very, very nice thing to have so much support,鈥� Bergman said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little overwhelming as well. I know a lot of people love him. When you鈥檙e right on the front-lines of all this and you get the messages 鈥� you see how much he means to people.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a sad thing right now that everybody has to go through this with me.鈥�
Bergman is concerned that someone may have taken Canuck.
鈥淚鈥檓 having a really, really hard time believing that he鈥檚 just out there being a crow,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e tends to stick to the area, so I鈥檓 pretty worried about him right now.鈥�
He asked that people keep 鈥渢heir eyes and ears open鈥� for any crow noises that could be coming from inside homes.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 anything that people hear, it could be the tip that brings him home,鈥� Bergman said.
Earlier this year, Canuck became the first crow to be banded in North America for non-endangered and non-research purposes. Canuck sports a uniquely numbered metal band, supplied by The Federal Bird Banding Office in Ottawa, along with his orange band that makes him visible to his fans.
Canuck is known perhaps equally for being 鈥渢hat crow that stole a knife from a crime scene back in 2016鈥� and 鈥溾��.
His fame has grown substantially over the years, with the help of Bergman who has been documenting Canuck鈥檚 adventures through Facebook since 2015. The mischievous bird is so popular, he was also voted Vancouver鈥檚 Unofficial Ambassador last year.
https://www.facebook.com/thecrowandI/photos/a.870307666410222/2216147731826202/?type=3&theater
Bergman said he isn鈥檛 giving up hope.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檒l ever give up hope," he said. "I don鈥檛 get the feeling that he鈥檚 permanently gone.
鈥淚 still feel he鈥檚 alive.鈥�
Anyone who sees or has information on Canuck can contact Bergman via email:聽 [email protected].
