Attempts to catch runaway ostrich on Gauteng highway end in tragedy

Attempts to catch a runaway ostrich in Gauteng have ended in tragedy.

The large bird was seen frantically running along main roads and highways this week.

According to the Randburg SPCA, as reported by The Citizen’s sister publication, Randburg Sun, the ostrich was first seen on William Nicol Drive in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Twitter user @GillianYoungBe1 posted a video of the ostrich running along a busy road in Joburg during the morning.

The Owl Rescue Centre said it was then called to help catch the bird on the N14 highway alongside Diepsloot.

After about three hours the Owl Rescue Centre managed to catch the ostrich. They immediately called their vet to come and sedate it, but the large bird collapsed before the vet could arrive.

“But while on the phone she collapsed. We performed CPR on her for 20 minutes but, unfortunately, we lost her.

“The stress of being on that highway for six hours and the stress of the rescue was just too much for her,” the centre said in a Facebook post.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Ostrich plays chicken with cars in Cape Town

It is still not clear where the ostrich came from.

Unhelpful metro police

The Owl Rescue Centre added that there was a metro police roadblock nearby, but the officers allegedly refused to help catch the bird.

The centre also asked if that part of the highway could be closed.

“We did try [to] explain that… We all need to prevent a 70kg ostrich from going through someone’s windshield at 120km per hour. But, sadly, they had more important business to attend to, apparently.”

NOW READ: VIDEO: Ostrich chases down cyclist group’s frontman