Moriyama City police capture escaped pet ostrich

An ostrich, approximately 2 meters in length, was captured in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture, after escaping from a local residence.

On the morning of September 23, 2026, multiple emergency calls were placed by passersby reporting an ostrich wandering near a station and on public roads. Police attempted to pursue the bird using patrol cars, but the ostrich's speed allowed it to evade initial capture. Authorities issued warnings to local residents while searching for the animal. The ostrich, which was being kept as a pet by a nearby resident, was eventually secured near the location where it was first spotted.