A toddler in Norway was attacked by a golden eagle on Sunday while playing on her family’s farm in Trondelag, central Norway. The 20-month-old girl suffered scratches to her face and required stitches to the back of her head after the bird swooped down, according to Norwegian media.
The child’s mother and a neighbour bravely fought off the eagle, which repeatedly returned during the attack, AFP reported. Eventually, a gamekeeper, Per Kare Vinterdal, was called to the scene and killed the bird. Vinterdal explained that the eagle likely mistook the toddler for prey.
The girl’s father told public broadcaster NRK, “The eagle came out of nowhere and grabbed our youngest daughter,” adding that both the mother and neighbour had to struggle to free the child from the bird’s grip.