Cockatoo's Revenge

Man dies trying to rescue cockatoo from tree
Article from: AAP

November 13, 2007 09:17am

A MAN has died in a fall from a tree while trying to rescue his neighbour's pet cockatoo near Bendigo, in central Victoria.
The tragic mishap occurred about 10.30pm (AEDT) yesterday in a vacant block at a new housing estate in Greenfield Drive, at Epsom, on the northern outskirts of Bendigo, 160km north of Melbourne.

Victoria Police said the 58-year-old man climbed a gum tree to rescue a neighbour's cockatoo, which had been perched in the tree for several hours.

"The man has slipped and fallen, dying instantly," a police spokeswoman said.

Earlier the cockatoo's owner, a 72-year-old man from Epsom, climbed the same tree in an attempt to rescue the bird, but slipped and fell.

He was taken to Bendigo hospital in a satisfactory condition with suspected spinal injuries.

Bendigo Police Sergeant Peter Gilmore said a report into the death was being prepared for the coroner.

Sgt Gilmore said the dead man was trying to do a good deed when it went tragically wrong.

His wife was standing at the base of the tree when the accident happened, he said.

"His wife was watching," Sgt Gilmore told ABC radio.

"This was just an unfortunate accident that wasn't foreseen, especially climbing up late at night, they need to be very careful," he said.