Emu
Dromaius novaehollandiae
One of Australia’s largest native birds, the Emu is the only extant member of the genus Dromaius and is the second largest extant bird in the world by height next to the Ostrich. There are three species in Australia. Common throughout mainland Australia except dense forests, arid areas, and heavily populated towns or cities. The Emu are soft feathered flightless birds with brown feathers, long thin necks and legs, and can obtain upwards of 6+ feet in height. They can travel upwards of 31 mph in sprints but can travel great distances with a fast economical trot. They are highly nomadic and will go great distances to obtain and find food which consists of insects and plants. They also ingest stones, glass shards, and metal bits in order to aid in their digestion and break down food. They can go weeks without food and infrequently drink water, though will drink copious amounts of liquid when the opportunity avails often once every 1-2 days. They like to sit in water and can swim. They are very curious and nosy creatures and will often follow or spy on other animals and humans. They have three toes and their toes have a nail on them that is sharp like a knife they use to fend off predators and opponents. Their kicks can rip metal wire fences apart. They have excellent eyesight and hearing. Feathers vary to terrain and environment as a sort of camouflage also acting as a mechanism to prevent heat from flowing into the skin so it can be active throughout the heat of mid-day. They breed in May and June and are not monogamous, often fighting among females for a mate. Females can mate several times and lay several batches of eggs in a single season. The male does the incubation, of which the eggs will hatch around 8 weeks, and are nutured by the father. They obtain full size after 6 months, and live between 10-20 years in the wild. They have loud, booming, drumming, and grunting sounds that can be heard from over a mile away as their call. Their natural predators are eagles, hawks, and dingos.
Emu, like Ostrich, is a popular alternative meat and food source especially amongst the Aboriginals and early European settlers. They were also used as a fuel source. Farmed for meat, oil, and leather. Emu is a low-fat lean meat, cholesterol at 85 m, a red dark meat, and popular for its oil that is well known for anti inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects also consisting of fatty acids, oleic acid, linoleic and palmitic acids. The fat was used as bush medicine and rubbed on the skin by Aboriginals. As a lubricant, it was mixed with ochre and other traditional paints for ceremonial body adornment as well as to oil tools.
 |
Bibliography/Recommended Readings:
Photos are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without permission of authors Tom Baurley or Leaf McGowan. Photos can be purchased via Technogypsie.com at Technogypsie Photography Services for nominal use fees. Articles and Research papers are done at the Author’s expense. If you donate below, you’ll help contribute to the costs of the research that provided this article.
These articles are done by the writer at no payment. If you enjoy this article and want to see more, why not buy our writer a drink or meal to motivate them to write more? or help cover the costs they went through to do this research?
