Escaped emu on the lam for weeks in NC suddenly seen jumping on car

WSOC-TV ^ | 08/01/2019 11:45AM | Shelby Lin Erdman

[mabarker1]

ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. -

An escaped emu has been avoiding capture for weeks now, but continues to tantalize animal control officials in Orange County, North Carolina, with sudden public appearances -- before just as suddenly disappearing.

The large flightless bird’s latest antics involved a startling interaction with a car.

“He apparently jumped on the hood of a car and then ran away,” Tenille Fox, with Orange County Animal Services told WTVD-TV.

No one seems to know who the bird belongs to, WTVD reported. It just appeared in a backyard in June, and then the hunt was on to find it.

Fox is asking anyone with information on the emu to get in touch with his agency. He’s hoping extra details about the 100-pound bird might help animal control officers capture it, but he’s also warning people not to try and catch it themselves.

“What we really need is for this emu to wander into an area that provides some sort of containment -- such as natural barriers, a pasture or some sort of fenced area," he told the news station.

“If the emu is in an area like that, an animal control team can try to block the animal off even more and hopefully corral the animal without causing further stress. We worry about causing more stress in this heat,” the officer said.

Emus are flightless birds that grow over 6 feet tall and weigh as much as 100 pounds, according to National Geographic. They have powerful legs and can run as fast as 30 mph.

[mabarker1]

Well just when You think that things are getting smoothed out hare comes...

[mabarker1]

It’s the LIMU EMU !!!!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

He’s in those STUPID Liberty insurance commercials! How hard can he be to find?

*SNORT*

[GnuThere]

Exactly. He’ll be the one wearing a T-shirt.

[mabarker1]

Hi Shari😜

[Sacajaweau]

He’s not on the run...He’s doing commercials.

[fishtank]

[BenLurkin]

Somebody’s going to barbecue that big turkey Piece by piece.

[fishtank]

[mabarker1]

LOL !!! I know.

My guess would be get a Yellow Dodge Duster, slap on a Yellow Shirt and stand outside for a few minutes.

[bankwalker]

How to groom an emu

[10mm]

Better turn himself in or else...

[Yaelle]

The emu on the lamb. Somehow that just sounds wrong. I guess I’m a little old fashioned re heterospeciesm.

[Rebelbase]

Too late, I caught it.

[Carriage Hill]

Where’s Doug?

[mad_as_he$$]

Will the stupid ads stop now?

[Vendome]

[AppyPappy]

My son has emus near his hemp farm and he says they keep the coyotes and deer away.

[Vendome]

That’s a good idea

[Does so]

How similar are they to cassowarries?

Recently, a cassowary knocked down and killed it’s owner!