Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo - Animal Fact Sheet


EMU (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
Range:	Australia, in every state except Tasmania
Habitat:	grassy plains and open forests
Diet:	Grass, insects, fruit and seeds
Approx. Dimensions of Adult:	Height: 5 feet Weight: 120 lbs. The Emu is the second largest bird in the world (only the ostrich is bigger). It has a long neck, small head and very long legs. The hair-like plumage of both sexes is brownish gray.
Lifespan:
Reproduction:	The slightly smaller male incubates a clutch of 8 to 10 dark green eggs for about 60 days and takes care of the chicks once they are hatched.
Emus can run up to speeds of 30 MPH and are also good swimmers. They defend themselves by kicking. The emu was considered a pest by the farmers of Australia. The emu would break down fences and eat crops. In 1932 (Emu wars), the farmers tried to get rid of the emu by killing them with machine guns, but the birds survived. The emu is now being farmed in many countries. The meat is low in fat, the skin makes fine leather and oil from the bird has many claims made about it, mainly as skin and wound treatments used by cosmetic, pharmaceutical and alternative medicine companies. The emu appears on the Australian coat of arms.