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Ostrich is returned safely after escaping Ramat Gan Safari

The bird ran into a nearby park area, surprising passersby.

Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve
An ostrich in Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve in the Arava, in Israel’s south near Eilat, Aug. 24, 2008. Photo by Jorge Novominsky/Flash90.

An ostrich escaped the Ramat Gan Safari on Friday and went for a stroll in the Tel Aviv area before being brought back to its home.

The safari park said the male ostrich ran out of the entrance gate as it was closing.

“The curious ostrich began running into the park area and the nearby Ramat Chen neighborhood to the surprise of passersby,” the safari said.

The curious bird, which was filmed by local residents sprinting through city streets with a police escort, was returned home a short time later, after handlers sedated it to enable safe retrieval.

An investigation is underway to determine how the bird escaped to prevent any similar incidents in the future, the park said.

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