Baby flamingo rescued from Costa del Sol beach in Benalmadena

A baby flamingo has been rescued from a Costa del Sol beach after being found at Playa Bonita in Benalmadena.

Benalmadena’s Beach Department helped bring the young bird to safety after it was discovered on the coastline on Tuesday, August 11. Environmental officers from the Junta de Andalucia then took charge of the chick to make sure it receives the care needed during its recovery.

Baby flamingo found at Playa Bonita

Few details have been released about how the flamingo ended up at Playa Bonita or whether it had suffered an injury. Benalmadena Town Hall has not said whether the youngster became separated from adult birds, was struggling to fly or simply needed assistance. Avoiding speculation is important while environmental officers assess the bird.

Once rescued, the chick was handed over to Junta de Andalucia environmental staff, who are responsible for dealing with protected and wild animals requiring assistance. Andalucia has a dedicated network of wildlife recovery centres for animals that are injured, sick or weakened. Their work can include initial treatment, feeding and rest before a decision is made about returning an animal to the wild.

Malaga is home to thousands of flamingos

Flamingos are particularly associated with the Reserva Natural Laguna de Fuente de Piedra in Malaga province, one of the most important breeding sites for the species in the western Mediterranean.

Junta conservation programmes also monitor and ring young flamingos at Fuente de Piedra. In 2025, around 600 chicks were ringed during an operation involving hundreds of volunteers and wildlife specialists.

Playa Bonita is a very different setting, making today’s rescue an unusual sight for beachgoers. Benalmadena Town Hall thanked everyone involved in helping the young flamingo and protecting local wildlife.

Anyone who encounters a distressed wild animal should avoid handling it unless instructed to do so by professionals, allowing trained wildlife officers to assess the situation.