Norwegian zoologists were astonished to learn that a golden eagle recently snatched a small bear cub from its mother in what experts said was undoubtedly a first(AFP/Getty Images/File)
Posted on 04/29/2004 9:16:51 AM PDT by martin_fierro
Rare catch as golden eagle snatches bear cub in Norway
Thu Apr 29, 4:37 AM ET
OSLO, (AFP) - Norwegian zoologists were astonished to learn that a golden eagle recently snatched a small bear cub from its mother in what experts said was undoubtedly a first.
AFP/Getty Images/File Photo
Two park rangers on a weekend patrol in the Lierne region of central Norway saw the eagle swoop down on the cub as it trotted along behind its mother and carry it away, one of the rangers told public broadcaster NRK.
A golden eagle normally weighs about six kilogrammes (13 pounds), while the bear cub was said to have weighed about half that.
Experts have until now believed that bears had no predators in the animal world. Mothers are also highly protective of their young.
Torgeir Nygaard, a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, said the likelihood of an eagle snatching a bear was about as rare as "finding snow in the Sahara".
"There has never before been such an observation," he said.
Biologist Ole Jacob Soerensen, a bear specialist, said he had not heard of such an incident before either.
"It will certainly be another 100 years before that is seen again," he said.
Norwegian zoologists were astonished to learn that a golden eagle recently snatched a small bear cub from its mother in what experts said was undoubtedly a first(AFP/Getty Images/File)
I doubt that is a correct statement. I imagine that has been going on for millenia.
Translation: It never happened before we were there to see it of course
It will certainly be another 100 years before that is seen again
Sure are a confident arrogant bunch, aren't they? "We are experts; we know all."
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