Runaway rhea is too fast for police to catch

A bird which can grow up to 6ft and is capable of speeds of 40mph is evading capture by police, with another also on the run. Police managed to locate one of the fugitive rheas in Brent Pelham, Hertfordshire, this weekend, but were unable to catch it.



The bird, an ostrich-like, flightless bird native to South America, was first spotted by a member of the public on Friday at around 6.30pm. On Sunday morning, East Hertfordshire rural police attended a further sighting of the bird, and tweeted: “PC Watson & PCSO Steve have located the Rhea, the problem is they can’t keep up with it.”

It is believed that two rheas escaped from a property in Essex in February and have now travelled into East Hertfordshire. While police will become involved if the birds pose a danger to public safety, for example if they walk into a road, it is the responsibility of the owners to locate and capture the birds.



Police advise the public not to approach the birds, which may become scared and run into a road, or cause a danger to others. East Hertfordshire rural police ask anyone who spots either of the rheas to call them.

You can see video footage of the runaway rhea here.