{"id":230209,"date":"2016-07-12T11:43:22","date_gmt":"2016-07-12T11:43:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=230209"},"modified":"2016-07-12T11:43:22","modified_gmt":"2016-07-12T11:43:22","slug":"eagle-tries-to-carry-off-australian-boy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/07\/eagle-tries-to-carry-off-australian-boy\/","title":{"rendered":"Eagle tries to carry off Australian boy"},"content":{"rendered":"
A wedge-tailed eagle tried to fly away with a terrified boy at a popular wildlife show in central Australia.<\/p>\n
A crowd of stunned onlookers watched the enormous bird latch its talons onto the screaming boy’s head during a show at Alice Springs Desert Park.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the bird attempted to pick him up “like a small animal”.<\/p>\n
The boy – believed to be between six and eight years old – escaped with a “superficial” gash to his face.<\/p>\n
Christine O’Connell from Horsham in Victoria state was visiting the park with her husband on 6 July when the attack occurred.<\/p>\n
She told the BBC the eagle flew straight for the boy from about 15m away.<\/p>\n
“A fellow who was sitting closer said the little boy kept running his zipper up and down,” said Mrs O’Connell, who caught the attack on her camera.<\/p>\n
The eagle grabbed the boy’s green hoodie and attempted to him lift away before park staff moved in.<\/p>\n
The attack left the boy crying and bleeding, but his injuries were not severe.<\/p>\n
A Victorian man who was in the crowd, Keenan Lucas, told the NT News the show was ended quickly after the attack.<\/p>\n
“We’re at the bird show in the afternoon, having a great time and looking forward to seeing the wedge-tailed eagle come out for the finale,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The bird then flew over the crowd and tried to grab on to a young boy’s head. He screamed, the mother was distraught and the presenters wrapped up the show very quickly.”<\/p>\n
The park issued a statement to the media after being contacted about the event.<\/p>\n
“On Wednesday, 6 July, an incident occurred at the Alice Springs Desert Park where an eagle made contact with an audience member,” the park said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“A thorough investigation regarding the circumstances behind this incident is under way and the eagle will be removed from the show while this investigation is ongoing.”<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A wedge-tailed eagle tried to fly away with a terrified boy at a popular wildlife show in central Australia. A crowd of stunned onlookers watched the enormous bird latch its talons onto the screaming boy’s head during a show at Alice Springs Desert Park. Witnesses said the bird attempted to pick him up “like a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":230242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[117],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n