Fact check: Photo of eagle snatching drone is not from Nyayo, Kasarani rallies
A screenshot of the image shared on social media and linked to the two political rallies that happened in Nairobi on Saturday August 6. The picture was taken in March 2016 by Koen Van Weel, in the Netherlands.
Reports that an eagle interrupted the final rallies by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya at Kasarani Stadium and Kenya Kwanza’s at Nyayo Stadium is fake.
On Saturday, online supporters of Raila Odinga, the Azimio Presidential candidate, and William Ruto of Kenya Kwanza, started sharing a picture of an eagle catching a drone, each group claiming it happened at their opponent’s event.
Supporters of the two candidates further said the move by the eagle was a bad omen for their opponent.
However, Nation.Africa has established that photographer Koen Van Weel took the picture in March 2016.
It documents a trained eagle, from the Guard from Above company, wrapping its talons around a drone during a police exercise in the Netherlands.
The image is available on Getty Images, where it has been captioned, “An eagle of the Guard from Above company, grasps a drone during a police exercise in Katwijk, on March 7, 2016. The bird of prey can get drones from the air by catching them with his legs.”
Also, a 2016 video report from BBC News shows these eagles, and other birds of prey, in action with drones.
