A ostrich on the loose – what would you do? (Taber Police Service/Facebook)
Taber, Alberta — About 20 ostriches escaped from an enclosure in the town of Taber, rampaging through the streets until a combined force of RCMP and Taber police officers arrived to detain them.
According to the Taber Police Service, officers dealt with a herd of ostriches on Thursday morning. RCMP officers were called in for assistance, helping confine the birds so the owners could safely capture them.
A video by shot Taber resident, Destiny Nanaquewetung, was shared on the Taber Police Service’s Twitter account, depicting one of their vehicles driving by an ostrich on a road with the owner sticking their arms out to wrestle down the bird.
Instead, the bird fell over and continued on its merry way.
Absurdities aside, loose ostriches are no joking matter. According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, these birds weigh between 60 to 140kg, can run up to 59 km/h, and sprint at 69 km/h.
When running, if their first line of defense doesn’t work, they can kick with the force of 141 kg per square cm—more than enough to kill a lion or damage a vehicle.
What is your go-to response when you come across a large animal on the way to work? What is the strangest animal you have repaired damage from? Let us know in the comments below.
