Lightning strikes are so rare that when they do happen, people are shocked!
Across from a rural gas station in Idaho, lightning struck a black calf. A surveillance camera captured the entire thing. At the beginning of the video, the cows mingle in the pasture, happy to just eat grass. There isn’t a severe storm or even visible rain. It’s likely that this lightning strike came from a dry thunderstorm. Dry lightning and dry thunderstorms can be dangerous because they make it more likely for fires to start. Apparently, lightning strikes can also result.
Lightning strikes quickly and the cow falls over immediately. Getting struck by lightning won’t always result in death. The National Weather Service estimates that around 10% of lightning strikes to people are fatal, with the other 90% likely suffering some sort of injury as a result of the lightning strike. They do not track lightning strikes on livestock.
Punny Comments
The viewers’ comments add additional perspective to this event. While not funny for the cows, who scattered as soon as the lightning hit, the people watching the video wasted no time in adding to the hilarity of the unlikely lightning strike.
“This is actually not a rare event,” said one viewer. “It’s medium-rare.” They were referring to the cow being immediately cooked by the electricity in the lightning. Based on the speed at which the cow falls over, it may just be well done.
“He was just standing there minding his own business, not knowing his life was at steak,” wrote another, clearly feeling some sympathy for the cow. “RIP Cow.”
“I don’t wanna start any beef, but I think it was the cow’s fault,” said one person who watched the video. They are so quick to let the cow off the hook when it comes to their own demise. “Should’ve moooved out of the way.”
Rest in peace, cow.
Up Next:
- Cow Lifespan: How Long Do Cows Live?
- Watch a Powerful Storm Pound Lake Superior and the Great Lakes
- Lightning vs Thunder: What are the Main Differences?
The photo featured at the top of this post is © Stephen Bridger/Shutterstock.com
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