Escaped ostrich makes a mad dash down Malaysian highway

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 21 (UPI) -- An ostrich escaped its owner's car on a busy stretch of Malaysian highway and was filmed running between cars at about 20 mph.

Witness Jeff Sandhu was driving Thursday on Federal Highway in Kuala Lumpur when he captured footage of the large, flightless bird running across the road's five lanes of traffic.

Sandhu posted his footage to Instagram.

"Everyone wasn't sure whether to overtake it or not so we stayed behind it," Sandhu told The Star newspaper.

He said he was forced to stop following the ostrich because he had a meeting to attend.

"I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them I was late because I was chasing after an ostrich," he said.

The ostrich's owner, Darren Chow, said the bird, named Chickaboo, jumped out of his vehicle through an open window and took off running.

Chow said Chickaboo eventually had to stop and rest, allowing him to recapture the bird with help from four witnesses.

"I just hoped that she'd be okay. I was willing to trade my life with hers; it's my fault for leaving the window open," Chow told Channel News Asia. "Fortunately there were no motor accidents... she wasn't hurt; no one was hurt."

Chow said he was en route to take Chickaboo to the Ostrich Wonderland sanctuary because she had become too large for him to keep at home. He completed the journey and Chickaboo was said to be settling well into her new home.