Overview
- The footage was recorded by tour operator Mabamba Trips and posted on Instagram, where it rapidly drew wide attention.
- The shoebill remained still and showed no aggression during the encounter, and the tourists were unharmed.
- Experts note the camera angle makes the bird look larger than it is, with shoebills reaching about five feet tall.
- The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with an estimated 3,000–3,500 adult birds as of 2018 and ongoing population pressures.
- Mabamba Bay is an Important Bird Area known for shoebill sightings, though such close contact is considered exceptionally rare.