Temmel is an eagle sponsor

“Now I officially have a bird!”

Actor Swen Temmel took over the sponsorship of this one-year-old bald eagle at the Weinhappel family's bird of prey sanctuary at Riegersburg Castle in the beautiful Vulkanland region. The young eagle, which only gets its distinctive white head plumage at the age of five or six, has been named "Swen" with immediate effect.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

He filmed with Al Pacino, most recently with Gerard Butler. And even before Swen Temmel hurried off to Cannes for the film festival, he spent a few days in his Styrian homeland. At Riegersburg Castle, he, who has lived in Los Angeles for a quarter of a century, took over the sponsorship of a bald eagle. An emotional moment, after all, this lord of the skies is the heraldic animal of the USA. 

Styrian-born Swen Temmel has lived in the USA for 26 years. His father, Charly Temmel, also became world-famous for his ice cream in Venice, and his son has put down roots there since the age of five. "But my home is and remains Austria and Styria," says Temmel when ADABEI meets him at Riegersburg Castle in the picturesque Vulkanland region. The reason: Swen became the sponsor of a bald eagle at the Raimund and Manuela Weinhappel bird of prey sanctuary, which has been home to countless animals since 1987.

Heraldic bird of the USA
Temmel has just been in front of the camera with colleague Gerard Butler, so he used the trip to us for a few days off: "You can't call it a vacation - I enjoy my work and love my job."

But he particularly enjoyed the moments with the mighty animals: "They are really moving moments when you see these mighty animals high up in the air. I also didn't know that they don't get their white heads until they are five or six years old," he enthused while feeding the baby sea eagles, which were only a few days old. "For me, taking on the sponsorship today kind of closes a circle. Because the bald eagle is the heraldic bird of the USA, so this is all very emotional for me." He spoke and christened his sponsored animal, a one-year-old bird, (three guesses, dear readers) with the name "Swen".

With the baby bald eagles. The actor found the young birds fascinating: "They are very graceful animals."

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Ice king Charly Temmel with his son Swen, as well as the operators Manuela and Raimund Weißhappel at the top bird of prey show (www.greifvogelschau.at) at Riegersburg Castle.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Down-to-earth despite Hollywood glamor
"Now I officially have a bird," laughed Temmel - and the whole group rejoiced with him. Perhaps it was also because the guy is so likeable, but above all authentic. After all, he has already filmed with many international stars. "Yes, that may be true. But I will always remain myself," he promises, who will be on his way again in a few days: the Cannes Film Festival awaits. . .