Ostrich Runaway Sends South Korean Streets into Turmoil

In an unusual turn of events, an ostrich named Tadori made headlines after escaping from a zoo in Seongnam, South Korea. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, saw the ostrich dodging traffic and causing quite a spectacle.

Tadori, a resident of Bug City Zoo, located about an hour south of Seoul, managed to break free from his enclosure. Witnesses captured footage of the ostrich jogging down a busy street, weaving through traffic. At one point, Tadori collided with a box truck but quickly recovered and continued his journey.

Approximately an hour after his daring escape, Tadori was captured in a parking lot about 1.6 miles from the zoo. The capture was executed using a net, and Tadori was returned to the zoo unharmed.

An ostrich escaped a South Korea zoo after its only friend passed away pic.twitter.com/dhnrLDRzYJ

— TheÐogeGlory (@GloryDoge) March 27, 2024

The zoo’s owner, Choi Yun-joo, believes that Tadori’s escape was driven by loneliness. Tadori’s only companion, a female ostrich named Tasooni, had passed away about a month ago. “Guess that has been tough on Tadori,” Choi told Reuters.

Tadori is believed to have escaped the zoo by squeezing through a narrow gap between fences, according to the Korea Herald. This incident is eerily similar to another animal escape that occurred almost exactly a year ago in Seoul. In that case, a young male zebra named Sero escaped the Children’s Grand Park and ran alongside traffic until it was subdued with tranquilizers. It was reported that Sero had shown signs of stress following the deaths of his parents.

An ostrich has been returned to a zoo in the South Korean town of Seongnam after spending around an hour galloping around traffic-heavy roads, local authorities said https://t.co/kz95urnaMR pic.twitter.com/YxGMN11QOw

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 26, 2024

These incidents highlight the emotional depth of animals and the importance of providing them with adequate companionship. They also serve as a reminder of the resilience and survival instincts inherent in these magnificent creatures.