The shoebill stork, whose scientific name is Balaeniceps rex, is about 1.2 meters tall, has a gray coloration and lives in marshy regions located in the center of the African continent, mainly in Sudan and Zambia. Its popular name is due to the distinctive shape of its beak, which looks like the tip of a shoe. The total population of these birds is less than 10,000 individuals, which makes it a very rare species. Its behavior is mainly sedentary, although it does make some movements to find a habitat with ideal food, since water levels vary greatly. Males and females, although they are sometimes found walking as a couple, do not usually stay together. The most common is to find each one at opposite ends of the territory, making mating somewhat difficult. It is a solitary species and, therefore, it is very rare to find a nest, since the maintained density is around 3 nests per km². Even when mating occurs, the breeding season is long. The eggs are laid at the end of the rainy season, when the waters begin to recede, and the chicks are born only at the end of the dry season. Because they live in swamps, their diet is based on a weed called Papyrus, cattail and other grasses, but this species also eats meat. The shoebill stork tends to avoid areas where the vegetation is very dense or tall and is not easy to infiltrate. They generally live in waters that contain little oxygen, where fish need to come to the surface to breathe and are therefore more easily captured by birds. Storks also attack other aquatic animals such as amphibians, young crocodiles and water snakes. This dietary variation is due to the extreme diversity of animals present on the African continents. They can live for around 50 years, taking three to four years to reach reproductive maturity, and are monogamous – after choosing a partner, they stay with only that one. Their extinction is mainly due to the modification of their habitat, which is being converted into places suitable for livestock farming, which end up trampling on their nests. The species is hunted for food and cultural reasons, as it can be seen as a bad omen. Some farmers believe that having the bird in their territory or on their plantations is a reason to fear “bad luck”. Their capture is due to the trade in zoos, which is a major problem, as this type of sale is still permitted in many parts of Africa. They are sold as chicks and it is estimated that only two out of every 5 survive the transit from one country to another. A Single Conservation Action Plan for the shoebill stork has been in development since 2012, including workshops for people interested in learning more about this species. Steps are being taken in southern Sudan to study the population better and improve the situation in protected areas. In addition, the government is identifying the areas where these birds usually roost, so that they can be monitored and prevent them from being hunted or having their habitat destroyed. Despite these actions, this is still not enough for their importance. If the new protection policies are not followed to the letter, the beautiful shoebill stork could disappear from the planet and become a regular feature in stuffed bird museums.