EMU
Dromaius Novaehollandiae
STATUS: Least concern
AT THE WILDLIFE PARK
Uluru and Adelaide moved to the park when they were just 2 months old, back in 2011. They used to live with our pygmy goats but have recently moved in with our male, red-necked wallabies. This allows our visitors to get closer to them and really see how prehistoric they are.
HABITAT
Emus live in a variety of habitats from open arid plains to tropical woodlands. They avoid thickly forested areas. Emus occur in all Australian states except Tasmania.
WILD DIET
Emus eat a wide variety of leaves, grasses, fruits, native plants, and insects. In spring and summer, their diet consists mainly of flowers and seeds. In autumn, as those foods become scarce, they graze on young grass which sprouts after summer rains
BEHAVIOUR & BREEDING
Male and female emus pair up in December and January, establishing a territory of about 12 square miles (30 square kilometers) where they mate. The male and female remain together for about five months, which includes
THREATS & CONSERVATION
The main threats to Emus are habitat loss and fragmentation , vehicle collision and deliberate slaughter. Fences (such as dog fences) interfere with Emu movement and migration, with many birds crushed when groups are trapped by these fences. As they can damage wheat crops, Emus were once killed in large numbers. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), feral pigs (Sus scrofa) and wild dogs are also a key threat to coastal emus as they predate on nesting birds, eggs and young. Saving our Species targets the threat of pests to coastal emus by: working with landholders in emu hotspots during the emu breeding and nesting season.
FUN & INTERESTING FACTS
Did you know?
- Emus are the second largest bird in the world, the ostrich being the biggest.
- They can grow up to 2m tall.
- They can live between ten and twenty years in the wild.
- They are covered in soft fluffy feathers.
- They have two sets of eyelids, one for blinking and the other for keeping the dust out!