In a dramatic event that shook the bustling streets of Seoul, an ostrich named ‘Tadoli’ broke free from its confines and went on a wild rampage. The chaos began at approximately 9:30 AM on the 27th in Jungwon-gu, Seongnam city, when multiple reports flooded in about a large bird sprinting through the roads.

Thanks to the swift response of the Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters, the situation was quickly brought under control. The frantic ostrich was finally captured at 10:24 AM in front of a factory building in Sangdaewon-dong. Thankfully, no one was harmed and no property was damaged during the commotion.

The Story of ‘Tadoli’

‘Tadoli’ made its daring escape from a nearby eco-experience center by squeezing through a gap in the metal fence. The young ostrich had been transferred to the center as a chick in July 2020 and had been living there ever since. Initially, Tadoli shared a cage with a female ostrich named ‘Tasooni’. However, when Tasooni unexpectedly passed away last month, Tadoli was left all alone.

The staff at the eco-experience center believe that Tadoli, who had formed a close bond with Tasooni, experienced a great deal of stress after being suddenly left without a companion. During its escape, Tadoli sustained minor injuries on its leg but has since returned to its cage and is reported to be in stable condition.

A Similar Tale with ‘Sero’

Interestingly, this is not the first time an animal has caused chaos in the bustling city of Seoul. Last year in March, ‘Sero’, a zebra from the Seoul Children’s Grand Park, managed to break free from its enclosure and roam the nearby residential areas for three and a half hours before being recaptured.

Sero was born in the Children’s Grand Park in June 2019 but tragically lost both its parents; its mother ‘Lulu’ in 2021 and its father ‘Garro’ in January the following year. After these traumatic losses, Sero began exhibiting abnormal behavior, such as fighting with a neighboring kangaroo and refusing to eat, which eventually led to its escape.

To provide Sero with a companion, the Children’s Grand Park introduced it to a female zebra named ‘Coco’. However, Coco sadly passed away in October 2023 from a common illness in horses called ‘intestinal obstruction and necrosis caused by colic’. After losing its second companion, Sero was seen wandering the park and crying.

Despite these heartbreaking events, Sero slowly regained its health and is expected to be introduced to another female zebra later this year.