Cameras capture eagle taking down deer in Russia

news.yahoo.com...

Remote cameras intended to monitor Siberian tigers in Russia instead caught a golden eagle's fatal attack on a deer, snapping three photos as the massive bird dug its talons into the distressed animal's back.

That's a pretty hardcore bird right there. Unfortunately, the camera only captured 3 still frames. Still a sight to see though.

The scientist that was tasked with taking care of the camera was quite shocked when she first saw the dead deer.

"Something felt wrong about it," she said in a statement accompanying the photographs. "There were no large carnivore tracks in the snow, and it looked like the deer had been running and then just stopped and died.

As for what kind of eagle it was, it was the Golden Eagle. I believe there are other reports out there about this bird taking down other somewhat large animals, such as goats, lambs, pigs, ect...

Golden eagles are large birds. Their wingspan tops more than 2 meters (6 ½ feet) and, while they typically eat small birds, mammals, or snakes, they've been known to target larger animals as well.

whoa thats the end of Bambi.. I can't remember that the story ended this way?

reply to post by buni11687


some one needs to alert Joe Rogan! haha
(he is obsessed with how animals can kill things)

Can you imagine being a rabbit or something.. Always in fear that a giant flesh ripping monster is on the prowl ready to dive bomb the life right out of your fury little face?

Had no idea the went after such big animals though. Dang.

I never thought that could happen. I would hate to be around that bird if it was hungry and nothing else was around.

Great pics!!

Looks fake to me, like the deer is pasted into the picture.

Cool looking, though.

reply to post by Hushabye


I don't think so .. I really believe that those eagles are capable of doing this. Never come to close to the eagles nest he will attack you no matter what!

reply to post by 0bserver1


Oh, i know eagles are BAMOFOs...It just seems like that'd be too much work for even the most bad-assed eagle!

The picture just looks fake to me.

In Russia, birds hunt you.


Dam eagle you scary.

And we thought it was ET's mutilating animals.

Man, imagine something even bigger then this just hunting the sky on a nice day. Killing sky creatures must have been awesome back in the day...

Hushabye
Looks fake to me, like the deer is pasted into the picture.
Cool looking, though.

Agreed. I am skeptical. There's something about the lighting and shadows (or lack of them) that just doesn't seem to sit right.

reply to post by buni11687


Raptors are just amazing. We have a resident falcon here - it's cleaned out the rabbits, crows, stray cats - and even gone after small dogs near people. Moms are watching their babies like ...well, hawks.

Cool find.

reply to post by buni11687


That's one hungry bird. Either it's planning one huge eagle get together party, or it was looking for a challenge and making good on a bet.

Blue Shift

Hushabye
Looks fake to me, like the deer is pasted into the picture.
Cool looking, though.

Agreed. I am skeptical. There's something about the lighting and shadows (or lack of them) that just doesn't seem to sit right.

An article documenting the attack was published this month in the Journal of Raptor Research:

First Documented Predation of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) by Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in Russian Far East

Allenfane

allenfane

Blue Shift

Hushabye
Looks fake to me, like the deer is pasted into the picture.
Cool looking, though.

Agreed. I am skeptical. There's something about the lighting and shadows (or lack of them) that just doesn't seem to sit right.

An article documenting the attack was published this month in the Journal of Raptor Research:

First Documented Predation of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) by Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in Russian Far East

I still don't believe it!

And you thought you had to worry about ticking off the Russian Mafia over there. The wildlife certainly appears to be more intimidating

Holy crap, i knew golden eagles were big and strong, but i DID NOT KNOW, they would be able to off an animal 5x there size!

Watch this video, and learn who the skies belong to...

Blue Shift

Hushabye
Looks fake to me, like the deer is pasted into the picture.
Cool looking, though.

Agreed. I am skeptical. There's something about the lighting and shadows (or lack of them) that just doesn't seem to sit right.

The sun is off to the right hand side of the photo.

The shadows are being cast off to the left.


Also, in the first photo, you can see the Deer's foot kicking up snow.


It looks real enough to me.





Not everything is a conspiracy, especially in Nature.

reply to post by buni11687


I don't think this is fake, but wow. That is a gigantic eagle!

I heard stories of them stealing babies!!

Nice find, the Eagle knew how to kill the deer, dam!

The eagle is targeting the vertebrate, paralyzing him. So sad for Bambi...

The back legs are limp or going limp.