A rare saker falcon, a national first-class protected species in China, was recently rescued in Nagchu city, Xizang autonomous region after being found injured by a local resident.

The discovery occurred in Seni district, where police received a call reporting a wounded bird by the roadside.

Officers quickly arrived on scene and coordinated with wildlife experts, who identified the bird as a saker falcon. It had sustained an unexplained wing injury, rendering it unable to fly.

To ensure its timely treatment, police contacted a village veterinarian who cleaned, disinfected and bandaged the wound. The falcon was then placed in a safe, temporary shelter for recovery.

Currently, the bird is in stable condition. Once fully healed, authorities plan to release it back into the wild.

Saker falcons are powerful birds of prey native to mountainous and plateau regions — including Xizang, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Qinghai province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, they are under top-tier protection in China.