There’s no doubt the GoPro line of digital video cameras has provided nature enthusiasts with all manner of great wildlife videos. From orca close encounters to grizzly bears fishing for salmon, their sturdiness and portability allow people to record everything that happens.
But the little devices aren’t cheap, so it’s not a good idea to leave them lying around. Even if no other humans are nearby, you might find yourself the victim of an airborne heist—in this case by a seagull mastermind in the Cíes Islands of Spain.
What looks to be a herring gull eyes the vulnerable camera, then snatches it up for a wild ride. As its shocked owners shout helplessly, the thieving bird takes the GoPro for a wild ride, inadvertently capturing some gorgeous, peaceful footage of a rocky outcropping and the sea below.
You can see from the gull’s sturdy grip on the camera how they’ve earned their reputation as expert fishermen. Their strong talons are able to pluck fish out of the water and hold tight while they take to the air in search of a safe location to enjoy their meal. But it doesn’t take very long for the animal to realize that plastic and metal are not exactly an ideal feast.
After landing nearby, the gull loses in its newest plunder, abandoning the camera on a ledge and sparing it from a long drop into oblivion. Thankfully, its owners were reunited with their equipment, and we all benefit from a pretty amazing video.