Posted on 07/28/2020 2:55:07 PM PDT by BenLurkin
In many ways, the emus are a welcome distraction in a tiny town in Australia's vast Outback. Raised by an animal rescuer, the birds – siblings Kevin and Carol — are a friendly and wide-eyed source of entertainment . But then the emus learned to climb the stairs.
The new skill gave the birds access to the pub of the Yaraka Hotel in Queensland. Once inside, they unleashed a long-legged brand of chaos. They snatched toast and French fries away from customers. One of the birds even went behind the bar. A stern response was required.
"Emus have been banned from this establishment for bad behavior," a sign now states at the stairs leading to the hotel's pub. The message asks any human visitors to replace the "emu barrier" when they enter.
"We put the sign up, but we're not quite sure whether they're able to read or not," hotel co-owner Gerry Gimblett says in an interview with 10 News First Queensland. "So, we've had to put a bar across there, as well."
The emus have been popular with visitors – they've learned that posing for a photo often means a reward of a quick snack, says Gimblett, who owns the hotel with her husband, Chris.
"The interesting thing is when people are making toast in the annex, a head comes across, takes the toast and gobbles it up as it pops," Gimblett tells the Brisbane Times.
Despite the birds' transgressions, Gimblett says she's glad Kevin and Carol have stuck around — two survivors of a nest full of eggs that was found abandoned. All their brothers and sisters have since moved on.
The pair have endeared themselves to the locals and visitors alike. Until recently, Gimblett says, the emus had been kept at bay by cordons that were erected around the back of the hotel. Then the birds worked out how to use the three stairs leading up to the pub's patio.
"We didn't think they could climb stairs," says Leanne Byrne, the Yaraka resident who raised Kevin and Carol, in an interview with the ABC. The animals made several cameos in that segment, lunging in front of the camera to grab pieces of bread.
Now, Gimblett says, she's hoping the birds won't figure out how to maneuver, limbo-style, under the rope and up the stairs.
Crowding isn't normally a problem in the pub. After all, Yaraka has a population of fewer than 20 people. But as is often the case with wild animals, there are other issues – literally.
"If they had control of their bowels" the emus would be welcome inside, Gimblett tells the ABC.
"They're a tad incontinent," Byrne agrees.
Even with the chance of foul behavior, Yaraka's emus are generating interest online from people who say they want to visit the Outback town. Many also say they're thankful for a bit of avian comic relief.
Are Dougs banned too?
Emus’s are being banned because they found they are giving people more than what they need.
Those Emus are kind of aggressive. They don’t sit and wait to be fed, they lunge forward and take it from you.
Even with that, do not get them mixed up with their distant cousin the Cassowary Bird. The Cassowary has long front claws like little daggers, and will leap into you if they feel threatened or maybe just annoyed. Quick disembowelment of the target is in the Cassowary game plan.
“But then the Emus learned to climb the stairs.”
There you have the title to a new science fiction book.
LOL!!!!! So TRUE!!!
Clever girl!
Beat me
Nice Jurassic Park reference!
Sorry. I once asked a guy who raised emus, how many you gotta squeeze to get a quart of emu oil. He got pissed. I called him Dick. Should of called him Doug.
One day a terrible commotion was heard coming from his place. Some of the local kids had apparently read "Swiss Family Robinson" and decided that if ostrich could be ridden then so could emus. But the emus had never read the book and all they knew was that these small humans were attempting to climb on them. They did not take well to this and started kicking.
The kids ran in the only direction they could which was into the peacock area. Who started screaming and pecking. The peacocks, not the kids. Although by this time the kids were screaming too.
And this caused the dogs to start barking.
Which got all the dogs in the area to start barking.
We had not had this much excitement since the buffalo decided to roam.
Emus and peacocks and dogs, oh my!
“If they had control of their bowels, the emus would be allowed inside.”
Kept me out of a few places, too.
My son has two of them at his hemp farm. They love to eat the hemp.
Every predator is scared of them
sort of like mostly continent.
I saw that coming a long time ago......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.