A kindhearted man who stumbled across a bird’s nest in his garage intricately woven with a 22-carat gold chain was devastated after his social media post to find the owner led to the theft of the valuable item and substantial damage to the nest.
The man, Shah Rizal, was astonished when he noticed a glint of gold peeking from the top of a bird’s nest hanging from the garage at his home in Kedah, Malaysia.
Climbing up for a closer look, he was shocked to find not just any trinket, but a solid gold chain carefully woven into the structure of the nest alongside other unusual items, including a snake’s shed skin and strands of human hair.
He said: "I couldn't believe it at first.
"The bird had picked up all sorts of things, snake skin, someone's hair, and even a gold chain. Whose hair did it use? And where did it find that gold?"
Rizal, moved by a sense of wonder and responsibility, decided not to remove the chain.
He said: "I really wanted to know if it was real gold. I gently touched it and saw the '916' stamp, it was genuine.
"But I didn’t want to damage the nest. I thought, let the bird finish raising its chicks first."
Hoping to find the rightful owner, Rizal posted a photo of the golden nest on social media on 22nd May, along with a short message describing the unusual discovery.
But while he was away for a few hours, someone entered his garden, tore the nest apart, and stole the gold chain.
He said: "When I came back, the nest was badly damaged and the gold was gone.
"It was heartbreaking. I was just trying to do the right thing."
He added: "This is what happens when you try to do something good, someone else comes along and takes advantage. But I'm still thankful.
"The bird has started repairing the nest, and the chicks seem to be doing well. I hope they’ll fly off safely soon.”
In a final update, Rizal shared a picture of the bird nestled protectively among the twigs of its damaged home. a symbol, perhaps, of resilience in the face of human greed.
He added: "Let this be a lesson for all of us. And for me, too. I tried to help, and it didn’t go how I hoped, but I still believe in doing the right thing."
(MJ Leidig/newsX)