Rinus, the iconic neighborhood heron of the Jordaan, has died after a tragic accident. The animal has been a well-known animal in the area since 2012 and was loved by the residents of the Palmgracht. Rinus was known for his tame nature and was never shy to hang out with residents for a treat.
“It was a heron with character,” said resident Simone. “It was a real Burgundian,” says animal lover and film director Eddy Terstall. He walked all around here and knew exactly when he could visit whom for a tasty snack, but he preferred to visit Miep Terstall to score some pieces of sausage. “He knew exactly in the morning when I got up and he saw me standing in front of the window, then he flew over and sat on the lamppost in front of my house.”
The territorial Rinus was not the only heron in the area and regularly had moths with ‘intruders’. That ultimately proved fatal to him; the other herons were always chased away by Rinus, but last week he flew into a car during the argument and got into the water, after which he broke his wing. The animal ambulance made another attempt to save ‘the well-known local resident’ but still had to put Rinus to sleep.
“It just went like wildfire: Rinus was hit by a car, Rinus is dead, he came with the ambulance,” says a resident who is having a hard time with it. Meanwhile, other herons are making an attempt to take over his beloved position, but “we have to get used to the new one a bit, it will never be Rinus again”, says Miep.
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