On Monday, a court in Bautzen, Germany, will hear the case of an ostrich farmer who alleges that three teenagers frightened his male ostrich so badly with fireworks that it was unable to breed for six months. This cost the farmer a number of tiny ostriches and likely cost Gustav the Ostrich most of his self-esteem.
The farmer, Rico Gabel, who has a farm near Dresden, is demanding $6,450 in damages for the offspring of which he believes he was deprived. (Gustav had two female breeding partners. This story isn't that weird.) The lawsuit alleges that the teenagers set off fireworks near the farm in late 2005, scaring the mojo out of the bird and rendering it apathetic, depressed, and unable or unwilling to breed until late in 2006. (The AP report refers to the ostrich as "the previously lustful Gustav," which is a great line whether it is in the complaint or not.)
Ostrich chicks apparently are worth about $460 each, and Gabel estimates that 14 were not fathered by the previously lustful Gustav during his six-month despondency.
Link: AP via Yahoo! News
