Last November we featured a bizarre video showing a dinosaur-like shoebill that had landed on a tour boat in Uganda.
The striking imagery was captured in a manner that made the towering bird appear even larger, dwarfing the tourists.
Since then, shoebills in Uganda have gained significant popularity, maintaining icon status similar to that held by gorillas.
After all, shoebills are found only in East and Central Africa. There are perhaps fewer than 5,000 shoebills in the wild and they’re listed as vulnerable, with a shrinking population. Shoebill encounters, therefore, are considered rare.
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But their appeal from a tourism standpoint transcends rarity. The shoebill’s size (up to 5 feet tall) and prehistoric appearance, including a deadly-sharp bill for hunting, add to the bird’s allure.
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And those eyes….
This week, photographerJaz Abahoshared a stunning image that perfectly captures the essence of a shoebill stare-down. (See post below.)
Abaho’s description reads, in part: "What makes this image special for me is the patience behind it — waiting for that perfect close encounter. The legendary 'death stare' of the Shoebill is always the moment of the day."
Fortunately for tourists,shoebillsare not considered dangerous to humans. But with razor-sharp bills, they’re capable of decapitating baby crocodiles whilehunting for fish and reptiles.
Abaho’s encounter, like the tour-boat encounter during aUganda Shoebillexcursion, occurred in Mabamba Swamp on the shore of Lake Victoria.
This article originally appeared on For The Win:Encounter with dinosaur-like shoebill includes legendary death stare