Even though an ostrich is one of the harmless animals, there are instances when an ostrich can attack you and you need to defend.. An ostrich does not prey on humans but it is best to master some self defence tactics to avoid ostrich attacks. This article discusses ideas on how to beat an ostrich to avoid getting harmed during an attack, let’s read on and learn.
Options To Employ When Beating An Ostrich
Despite its majestic looks and appearance, an ostrich is always ready to attack and defend itself when provoked. When you are at the point where you have to beat an ostrich, consider employing the different tactics below.
Aim For The Legs
Ostriches mainly fight with their feet, their feet can kick 2000 pounds per square inch, a kick powerful enough to kill a lion. Ostriches kick forward because that is the direction their legs bend. They slash and injure their predator using their powerful, sharp claw.
The legs are the essential points to attack when beating an ostrich. You should utilise any available equipment to induce pain in their legs. For example, you may kick, aim at its knees, and strike using a plank of wood or rock. Beating its legs offsets the ostrich’s balance since its centre of gravity depends entirely upon its skinny legs.
Go For Its Chest
Ostriches attack their predators by ramming them against surfaces with their bony breastplates. The ramming attack will knock a person down to the ground, and then the ostrich will get on top of the person. An adult ostrich weighs up to 145 kg, if lies on top of you, the effect results in concusions and broken ribs.
To avoid such an attack, when an ostrich charges toward you, you should use a rock or a log to strike its breast. It should be enough to scare the ostrich away.
Strike The Neck
An ostrich’s neck is known to grow to heights up to 2.8 metres long. The neck contributes to its total height, ostriches use this to intimidate and attack their predators. Ostriches are known to peck at people. While aiming at weak spots, an ostrich can peck your head or even the eye.
When you are at a standoff with an ostrich, you are advised to strike its neck. It is because the neck of an ostrich is one of the most vulnerable parts of its body. Beating the neck hard enough with a piece of wood destroys the ostrich quickly.
You can also wrestle the ostrich to the ground by grabbing it by its throat. Again, you will have to utilise all means possible, even if it will require you to hop on to its back. Once you have a firm grip on the ostrich’s throat, you can grab its beak and cover its head with a black cover.
Aim For The Wings
When an ostrich feels threatened, the first response it displays is its wings, which it spreads out to show dominance. Aim for the ostrich’s wings if it persists in fighting back after you strike its neck when given a chance.
Be aware that an ostrich utilizes its wings like a ship’s rudder when running, not for flight but to change direction quickly. Therefore, damaging its wings will slightly increase your odds of dashing away in a zigzag pattern if you are forced to withdraw.
Target The Eyes
Another way to defend yourself from an ostrich attack is by going for its eyes. You are advised to grab a handful of dirt when confronted by an ostrich and throw it aiming for its eyes. The dirt in the eyes would blind the ostrich, giving you an advantage point to explore other alternative measures such as striking its neck or legs.
Use Any Weapon At Your Disposal
If you have a rifle and need to use it, aim for the ostrich’s main body to increase your chances of hitting your target. Ostriches will likely attack with their legs and beak, although their neck and legs are pretty thin and are easily missed.
Approach The Ostrich From The Side
You are advised to avoid the ostrich’s side. Think of the moment when the two of you are face to face as the most dangerous situation. It is crucial to remember that an ostrich can only kick its legs in front of it. Therefore, stay behind or on to the side of the ostrich to avoid its most potent attack.
Look For Higher Grounds
Since the ostrich remains a flightless bird, you are advised to elevate yourself to higher ground when you want to beat an ostrich. In addition, it will help you to avoid direct attacks such as ramming.
Since the ostrich is taller than a man, an elevated ground will help you to easily aim for the neck and its eyes when beating it.
Appear Tall
An ostrich uses its height to boost its confidence when attacking a predator. When you want to beat an ostrich, you must appear as tall as the ostrich to intimidate it. You may be required to lift your arms or your weapon. Once the ostrich is vulnerable, you can sneak and beat it by its weak points.
Run Into A Bush
Rather than having your internal organs torn out by the ostrich’s razor-sharp talons, choose to be stung by thorns. If there are no other places to hide, you are advised to jump right into a thorn bush. Since an ostrich will want to protect its big eyes, the ostrich will not stick its head in after you.
While inside the bush, you can stick out a wood block and aim for its weak points or throw a rock at it.
Lie On The Ground
Resist the desire to rush for safety or elevation if it is too far away. On the contrary, you are advised to feign death since an ostrich can run faster than a human. Lie on the ground with your stomach pressed in. Prepare yourself for the ostrich to play around with you. Cover the back of your head with your arms to safeguard the skull.
Before standing back up, give it some more time to become tired of this and go away. Be advised that there is still a chance of harm from this practice. However, when you lay down, your danger of harm from the force of an ostrich’s kick is decreased.
Most of the ostrich’s effort is expended in the forward motion before it kicks downward. However, the risk posed by the talons is still present. Because the ostrich may rake you with its nails, it is best to lie on your stomach to protect your internal organs better. Then, before it gets tired, the ostrich could stand or even sit on you.
Once the ostrich is tired of playing around with you, you should look for the perfect timing and beat the ostrich by its weak points.