On April 22, an unexpected incident occurred at a zoo in Yichang, Hubei Province, when an ostrich escaped after being startled by a sika deer.

Video footage from the scene shows the sika deer charging through a group of ostriches, causing the large birds to scatter in panic. In the chaos, one ostrich attempted to jump over a fence. Its leg became stuck in the railing, but with powerful kicks, it managed to break free and escape onto the zoo’s main path. The sudden appearance of the large bird frightened nearby visitors, who quickly fled in all directions.

Zoo security staff and keepers rushed to the scene, evacuating guests and using food to safely lure the ostrich back into containment.

According to the zoo, the escaped ostrich only suffered a superficial leg injury and no fractures. It has resumed eating normally after disinfection. The sika deer responsible for the commotion has been isolated. Both animal enclosures have since returned to normal, and the zoo has pledged to strengthen management of enclosure zones to prevent similar incidents in the future.