Brno police catch up to runaway ostrich 'Eda' over Easter holiday

A runaway ostrich attempted an Easter escape in Bystrc, a municipality of Brno, but was apprehended by local authorities, according to a news release. The incident was reported by a concerned citizen who saw the large bird running by in an agitated state.

Police officers were quickly deployed to the area to pursue the ostrich, which is capable of running at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Officers eventually surrounded the animal and herded it towards some bushes before successfully capturing it.

"The key was to choose the right tactics, so five police officers formed a swarm and scared the ostrich into some bushes near Kohoutovická street. When he had nowhere to retreat, the police officers caught him with their combined forces and carefully transferred him to the capture vehicle," said a police spokesperson.

Although ostriches are generally docile, they can become aggressive when threatened and are equipped with a powerful defense mechanism in the form of an inner toe similar to a hoof. The frightened ostrich managed to lightly kick one of the officers during the capture. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

The ostrich was returned to its owner in the afternoon who explained that the bird had escaped by jumping over a high fence.

Police officers in Brno, as in other Czech cities, most often catch stray dogs or cats, occasionally deal with more curious cases. In recent years these include a mule waiting at a bus stop and a sheep complicating highway traffic. In 2013, Brno police also caught a runaway kangaroo named Skippy, who successfully escaped from a farm in Horní Heršpice multiple times.