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| South Yorkshire police join search for escaped rhea bird | South Yorkshire police join search for escaped rhea bird |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A second police force has joined the search for an “aggressive” 6ft ostrich-like bird that escaped from a farm in Nottinghamshire. Officers have warned that the rhea bird, which has been missing for four days, poses a very real threat to the public. | A second police force has joined the search for an “aggressive” 6ft ostrich-like bird that escaped from a farm in Nottinghamshire. Officers have warned that the rhea bird, which has been missing for four days, poses a very real threat to the public. |
| The male bird escaped from a farm in the village of Carlton-in-Lindrick between Monday evening and midday on Tuesday through an open gate. South Yorkshire police joined the search on Friday after the on-the-run rhea was spotted in Rotherham. | The male bird escaped from a farm in the village of Carlton-in-Lindrick between Monday evening and midday on Tuesday through an open gate. South Yorkshire police joined the search on Friday after the on-the-run rhea was spotted in Rotherham. |
| A South Yorkshire police spokesman said: “Police in Rotherham are currently searching in the Rother Valley area and surrounding land, following reports of a sighting of the aggressive rhea from Nottinghamshire. | A South Yorkshire police spokesman said: “Police in Rotherham are currently searching in the Rother Valley area and surrounding land, following reports of a sighting of the aggressive rhea from Nottinghamshire. |
| “The bird has also been sighted in the Dinnington area. Officers are there to ensure that there is no risk to members of the public and the bird is located and captured as soon as possible.” | “The bird has also been sighted in the Dinnington area. Officers are there to ensure that there is no risk to members of the public and the bird is located and captured as soon as possible.” |
| Dinnington is about five miles north of the bird’s home village. The rhea, a flightless bird native to South America, can run at speeds of about 30mph. | Dinnington is about five miles north of the bird’s home village. The rhea, a flightless bird native to South America, can run at speeds of about 30mph. |
| Inspector Paul Peatfield from Nottinghamshire police has said the bird “poses a very real threat to the public due to its size, aggressive nature and the unfamiliar surroundings it could find itself in”. | Inspector Paul Peatfield from Nottinghamshire police has said the bird “poses a very real threat to the public due to its size, aggressive nature and the unfamiliar surroundings it could find itself in”. |
| I hope they catch this escaped killer bird, it's like Mad Max times in my village! #rhea #rheagate | I hope they catch this escaped killer bird, it's like Mad Max times in my village! #rhea #rheagate |
| Owner Alex MacDonald, 24, told Sky News that the bird had been spotted at a college in Dinnington. “They have a smallholding at the college where they keep two female rhea themselves,” said MacDonald | Owner Alex MacDonald, 24, told Sky News that the bird had been spotted at a college in Dinnington. “They have a smallholding at the college where they keep two female rhea themselves,” said MacDonald |
| “The thinking behind it is that he could be responding to hearing their call as it is mating season.” He has expressed fears that the bird may have been stolen and said the family are going through CCTV from the farm where they also keep alpacas and goats. | “The thinking behind it is that he could be responding to hearing their call as it is mating season.” He has expressed fears that the bird may have been stolen and said the family are going through CCTV from the farm where they also keep alpacas and goats. |
| He said the bird’s female partner has been pacing the field they share looking for her mate. | He said the bird’s female partner has been pacing the field they share looking for her mate. |
| “She’s alright. She doesn’t really want to attack you when you come in but the male was aggressive, very protective because he was sat on the eggs,” he said. | “She’s alright. She doesn’t really want to attack you when you come in but the male was aggressive, very protective because he was sat on the eggs,” he said. |
| “It’s the male that does the sitting on the eggs with these... My dad’s just put them in a bucket at the top of the garden hoping that he’ll come back and will know to come to its eggs.” | |
| MacDonald said it often needed four men to wrestle the male bird to the ground if they need to move it. | MacDonald said it often needed four men to wrestle the male bird to the ground if they need to move it. |
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