A golden eagle is believed to have attacked four people, including a toddler in Norway this week, as officials say the animal likely has a "behavioral disorder."
A toddler was attacked by the golden eagle prompting her to need stitches and the bird's unusual aggression spanned five days across a large mountainous region in southern Norway.
The golden eagle, Norway's second-largest bird of prey, typically preys on smaller animals, foxes, and sheep. The toddler and the bird's other victims required stitches and treatment for deep wounds. Following the attack on the child, the eagle was killed.
Alv Ottar Folkestad, an eagle expert with BirdLife Norge said on Monday that it is "likely" that the golden eagle "had a behavioral disorder," that led to the four attacks.
"What happen is radically different from normal," Folkestad said, noting that these four incidents are the only attacks by a female golden eagle this year. "Details in the plumage make me believe it is the same bird. The plumage means that no two golden eagles are alike."
Folkestad also said that "favorable weather conditions" in recent days have resulted in eagles being able to fly longer distances throughout the Southern region of Norway.
In the latest incident, a 20-month-old girl was playing outside a farm in Orkland, a small municipality in southern Norway, when the eagle suddenly swooped down and clawed her.
The girl's father, who was not present during the attack, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that her mother and a neighbor rushed to fend off the eagle. The bird attacked three times before it was killed after being struck with a piece of wood, according to Folkestad.
The father said his daughter received a few stitches on the back of her head and has scratch marks from the eagle's claws under her chin and across her face. According to the VG newspaper, one of the wounds was just below her eye. Both the girl and her mother are doing fine.
According to NRK, neither the toddler who was attacked, nor the family were identified. They have asked to not be contacted, the Norwegian broadcaster reported. Police confirmed they were aware of the attack but had limited details, noting that a gamekeeper had been contacted regarding the incident.
At least three other individuals have reported golden eagle attacks in recent days, including one man who caught the incident on camera.
Mariann Myrvang, who was attacked on Wednesday, told NRK she cried out for help when "something big and heavy landed on my shoulders."
"I went down on my knees, because I couldn't stand up," Myrvang said.
Her husband, armed with a branch, managed to chase the eagle away. Myrvang sustained deep claw wounds and later received penicillin and a tetanus shot at the hospital.
Golden eagles range from 80 to 93 centimeters in length (about 2 feet 7.5 inches to 3 feet) and have a wingspan of approximately 2 meters (6.5 feet).
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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