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A big, rare bird is terrifying people on social media after photos showing its imposing aesthetic were shared online.
The shoebill stork is critically endangered: The few thousand thought to remain live in East Africa between South Sudan and Zambia.
They can grow to a 1.5m tall and draw their name from the bulbous bill that resembles a shoe.
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While they aren’t known to move quickly, or even much at all, commonly sitting in stoic silence for long periods of time, that hasn’t stopped people fearing the big bird.
“I might wet myself if I had run up on this fascinating creature before I saw this picture,” one person wrote on a viral Facebook post.
“Their eyes are on the front of their head … They’re predators. I’m scared,” wrote another.
“I have seen this one,” another claimed. “They look like an old man from a distance and can walk pretty much erect. I was told not to get too close.”
It’s likely that warning was for the bird’s sake rather than the commenter, the storks are not known to be particularly fond of human company.
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Many likened the huge grey bird to the mythical hippogriff, made popular in the Harry Potter franchise, with some suggesting you need to bow to the bird and wait for it to bow in return before approaching.
Not everyone has been impressed by the bird’s looks.
“At the Singapore Zoo many years ago they had one of these near the front entrance,” one person shared. “It was known as the ugliest bird in the world.”
“What’s more terrifying than these gentle birds is the fact they are endangered and need to be protected,” another pointed out, ruining the fun.
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