The pelican that tried to eat the dog who stole his supper



Ever heard the one about the dog and the pelican? In one of the most unlikely power struggles of the animal kingdom, these extraordinary images show the moment when a one-year-old exotic bird bit off more than it could chew.

Captured by Roland Adam at his exotic bird farm in Germany, they show how Petri the pelican and Katijina the Rhodesian Ridgeback played out an improbable contest for a free meal.

Suppertime: Petri takes a nip at Katjinga's face as she searches for her stolen meal

'I was preparing food for the birds in our outdoor kitchen, when I noticed Petri at my side looking for a snack,' explained 38-year-old Roland.

'I decided to feed her one of the chicks I had been preparing when Katjinga raced in, caught the frozen bird mid-air and gobbled up Petri's dinner.'



Confused and slightly miffed at losing out on a free meal, Petri decided to search every inch of Katjinga in search of the discarded chick.

Open wide: Petri peers closely inside Katjinga's mouth for any trace of her meal

'It was hilarious,' laughs Roland.

'We have so many animals on the farm that they are very tame and at ease with each other.



'Katijinga is no different and she was more than happy to allow Petri to come in for closer inspection.'



Roland, who runs an exotic bird farm in Hoerstel near Osnabrueck, which houses everything from ostriches to flamingos, said: "You see a lot of things on my farm but I have never seen anything like this before and I just had to get my camera to prove it was real,' he says.

'But I suppose when it came down to it, Katijinga was just too quick!'





