Stunned onlookers watched as the wedge-tailed eagle tried to steal the child ‘like a small animal’ ata show at Alice Springs Desert Park.
The small boy, believed to be between 6 and 8 years old, escaped with a “superficial” gash to his face.
Staff at the parkin central Australiamoved in to take care of the situationand the boy was left crying, according to the BBC.Christine O’Connell was visiting the park and saw the incident.
She told the BBC:“A fellow who was sitting closer said the little boy kept running his zipper up and down.”
She wrote on Instagram:“Not the sharpest photo but lucky just to snap it.
At a nature park in Alice Springs we decided to go to a bird show the young boy in the green kept pulling his zipper up and down.
“For some reason the Wedge Tailed Eagle did not like it and instead of flying over to the log he is meant to for a photo opportunity he flew straight at the young boy and attacked him.
“The show was quickly cancelled and the boy taken off to first aid. Those talons are huge he was a very lucky young boy.”Keenan Lucas, from Victoria, was there as well, and he told the BBC about what he saw.
“We’re at the bird show in the afternoon, having a great time and looking forward to seeing the wedge-tailed eagle come out for the finale,” he said.
“The bird then flew over the crowd and tried to grab on to a young boy’s head. He screamed, the mother was distraught and the presenters wrapped up the show very quickly.”The park spoke about the incident in a statement.
They said:“On Wednesday, 6 July, an incident occurred at the Alice Springs Desert Park where an eagle made contact with an audience member,” the park said in a statement.
“A thorough investigation regarding the circumstances behind this incident is under way and the eagle will be removed from the show while this investigation is ongoing.”