Chicago Wildlife Watch Talk

Turkeys going Postal? Nah, check out an Ostrich "Chasing Pavements" or rather Cyclists

  • WillowSkye by WillowSkye

    How would you all like to have an ostrich as a cycling partner? We've got lots for you to choose from! The video is going viral very fast. I translated the following newspaper article from my native language into English but please bear with grammar mistakes:

    "Internet buzzes regarding ostrich chasing cyclists" by Sharlene Rood, Die Burger, 8 March 2016

    "Cape Town - A Cape ostrich has the Internet buzzing especially in cycling circles after even Chris Froome, twice a winner of the Tour de France, tweeted about this bird and thousands of YouTubers watched the video on which the bird took to its heels amongst a group of cyclists.
    A male ostrich had Oleksiy Mishchenko, of the approximately 4500 international contestants of this year's Cape Town Cycling Tour, and his two friends really bolting.
    The group had gone for a ride in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, two days before the 109 km-race, on Friday, when the ostrich appeared out of the blue and began pursuing them.
    Mishchenko had recorded the occurrence. The video has already reached more than 430 000 hits on YouTube.
    "Only in Africa," Froome tweeted on Saturday.
    Mishchenko professed that he had been slightly startled at first but then began laughing only. It can be heard clearly in the video.
    "I thought I was going to fall off my bike from all the laughing," he wrote on YouTube.
    The cyclists had reached approximately 50 km/h and Mishchenko said the bird had kept up without much difficulty.
    According to Nancy Dennett, restaurant manager at the Cape Point Ostrich Farm, ostriches can easily reach 70 km/h. "They can keep that pace for half an hour. Ostriches can also reach that velocity within only 5 paces."
    The cycle-chasing bird, however, sounded the retreat after roughly a minute.
    Its timing was great.
    "Fortunately, the ostrich left us alone, because there wasn't much left of the tar road," Mishchenko wrote. They had ridden on a cul-de-sac beside the sea.
    According to Dennett, the male could have perceived them as ostriches, but it probably rather felt threatened and likely wanted to chase the cyclists away from its nest."

    If you know Flemish/Dutch/German, you might perhaps be able to read the article in my language:

    "Internet gons oor volstruis wat fiestryers jaag" deur Sharlene Rood, Die Burger, 8 Maart 2016

    "Kaapstad - 'n Kaapse volstruis het die internet in veral fietsrykringe aan't gons nadat selfs die tweemalige Tour de France-wenner Chris Froome oor dié voël getwiet het en duisende YouTubers die video gekyk het waarop die voël tussen 'n groep fietsryers rieme neerlê.
    'n Volstruismannetjie het Oleksiy Mishchenko, een van die sowat 4500 buitelandse deelnemers aan vanjaar se Kaapstad-fietstoer, en sy twee vriende behoorlik op hol gehad.
    Die groep het Vrydag, twee dae voor die 109 km-ren, in die Kaap de Goeie Hoop-natuurreservaat gaan ry toe 'n volstruis uit die niet opduik en hulle agternasit.
    Mishchenko het die gebeure afgeneem. Die video het reeds meer as 430 000 trefslae op YouTube.
    "Net in Afrika," het Froome Saterdag getwiet.
    Mishchenko erken hy het aanvanklik effe geskrik, maar toe net begin lag. Dit is duidelik hoorbaar in die video.
    "Ek het gedink ek gaan van al die lag van my fiets afval," het hy op YouTube geskryf.
    Die fietsryers het sowat 50 km/h gehaal en Mishchenko het gesê die voël het sonder veel moeite bygehou.
    Volgens Nancy Dennett, restaurantbestuurder by die Kaappunt-volstruisplaas, kan volstruise maklik tot 70 km/h haal. "Hulle kan daardie pas vir 'n halfuur volhou. Volstruise kan ook binne net vyf treë daardie snelheid haal."
    Die fietsjaende voël het egter ná sowat 'n minuut die aftog geblaas.
    Sy tydsberekening was goed.
    "Gelukkig het die volstruis ons uitgelos, want daar was nie meer veel teerpad oor nie," het Mishchenko geskryf. Hulle het in 'n doodloopstraat langs die see af gery.
    Volgens Dennett kon die mannetjie gemeen het hulle is ook volstruise, maar hy het waarskynlik eerder bedreig gevoel en wou die fiestryers waarskynlik van sy nes verjaag."

    Enjoy 😃

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  • mason_UWI by mason_UWI scientist

    That was pretty good! I've gotten chased by a dog before, but I don't know if I'd be able to out bike an ostrich!

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  • WillowSkye by WillowSkye

    Haha, but with the right bike (expensive one) you probably could! The guy went down 3 gears and it sounds fantastic when he breaks, amazing. Bikes make a BIG difference 😃

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