Ostriches on the run as Metro Manila goes into coronavirus lockdown
- Two ostriches were seen running on a street in Quezon City in the Philippines after escaping from a property, with comparisons made to the movie Jumanji
- This came as Metro Manila imposed its Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine for two weeks to control a surge in Covid-19 cases
Dino Rivera, a resident of Mapayapa Village 3 subdivision in Quezon City, said he was buying food when he saw an ostrich running down the street. He shot a video of the large bird running after a car and posted it on Facebook.
Another resident, Mark Lawrence Molina Umipig, recorded the ostrich running towards a subdivision gate. It stopped when a security guard lowered the barrier and called out in Tagalog, “you don’t have an ID, you can’t leave”. Only those with passes and permits are allowed out of their residences during the region’s Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine, which will be in place until August 18.
The ostrich turned around and ran a few metres before stopping and walking back to the gate. The guard told it firmly, “I said, you don’t have a gate pass, you can’t leave”. It then turned around again and ran away.
By then, the first video had been shared widely on Facebook and Twitter, with comments like “even ostriches are out looking for help” and “even an ostrich wants to escape from this country”.