Have you spotted a strange bird along the N374 near Nieuw-Balinge in Drenthe in recent weeks? Then there is a good chance that it is a nando. The beast has escaped and despite several attempts it has not yet been possible to catch the ratite.
According to the animal ambulance of North and Central Drenthe, the rhea has been wandering in the area for quite some time. The flightless bird was spotted for the first time on April 12. The animal ambulance has made several attempts to get hold of the animal, but according to a spokesman, the nando is ‘too scared and stressed to be caught’.
The whole catching operation is not an easy job, because the animal must be prevented from experiencing too much stress. “A few weeks ago, two nandoes had already escaped in the same area in Drenthe, who died of stress shortly after they were caught,” said a spokesperson. “As long as the beast does not run on the highway and does not pose a danger to motorists, the rhea does not need to be caught in a heavy-handed way.”
Nandu on the road
Last month, a nando did endanger road safety on the N277 near Reek, in North Brabant. The animal ran along the provincial road, which kept three animal ambulances and a provincial air traffic controller busy. Fortunately, the employees of the animal ambulance knew where the flightless bird belonged. They could drive the rhea to the other side of the road and catch it there.
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