Man Dresses Up As Ostrich And Runs Amok In Thailand Zoo. Here's Why

An animal escape drill in a Thailand zoo led an employee to run amok dressed as an ostrich, who was later pinned down with a giant fishing net. Taking to Facebook, the Chiang Mai zoo shared images of the drill wherein a man was seen dressed as an eight-foot-tall ostrich with a towering bird neck strapped to his head. 

In the caption, the zoo authorities informed that the employee was participating in a "wild animal management plan" and reacting to various emergency situations, including an event of an ostrich falling out of its nest. 

In the post, Wuttichai Muangman, the zoo's director, also explained that the animal care worker who was dressed as the native African bird enacted "falling out" of its animal show area, which then prompted other zoo workers to pursue the man on foot and capture the bird. 

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The drill came to an end after the man was captured and escorted by three fellow staff members. In the images shared on Facebook, an employee was seen holding a giant fishing net, while another photo showed the team looking victorious as they held up their arms with clenched fists. 

The zoo officials stated that the training provided preparation for "managing a real situation" and included measures to control animal emergencies and guidelines to follow in such situations. The scenario triggered "a report system ... down through the chain of command" and required veterinarian and staff teams to "control the area in order to capture and return the ostrich to its enclosure," they added.

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According to The Guardian, the ostrich is the world's largest bird, growing up to nine feet tall and weighing up to 160kg. If scared, an ostrich can run at up to 70km/h and can also attack with kicks that could kill large predators, including lions.