A Woman in an Ostrich Costume Tried to Escape from Australian Zoo Employees

The director of the Rockhampton Zoo held an unexpected exercise to catch a cassowary that had escaped from its enclosure. She put on a costume and simulated the animal’s escape.

Escapes from zoos are not uncommon, so it is important for staff to be prepared for such emergencies. Director Liz Bellward decided to conduct a training session for her subordinates in an unexpected format. She pretended to be a cassowary and tried to escape from employees.

Since the woman could not find a cassowary costume, she dressed as an ostrich and began running around the zoo. Neither visitors nor employees knew about the plan. Until employees saw Bellward in the costume, they thought the cassowary had escaped from the enclosure for real. The operation to return the “bird” was successful and was captured on video.

According to Bellward, her performance helped employees practice important skills in conditions close to reality, manage a crowd of visitors and even provide first aid.