In 1932, ex-military personnel in Australia attempted to wipe out emus destroying crops, but failed due to the birds’ intelligence and speed. Emus are the second largest birds in the world and have an extra pair of eyelids to keep dust out of their eyes.
Emus are the second largest birds in the world (after ostriches) and can run at 30mph (48km/h), so best be prepared if attempting to tackle one. Australia learned this the hard way in 1932, when ex-military personnel attempted to wipe out some of the 20,000 emus that had flocked to Western Australian farms during seasonal breeding migration, destroying grain crops in the process. . In what has come to be known as the Great Emu War, World War I veterans armed with machine guns were deployed to assist farmers already affected by the Great Depression. The problem was that emus are intelligent as well as fast and hardy, so instead of prowling around and letting the gunners destroy them, they broke up into small groups and dispersed, making it logistically impossible for the soldiers to take them out. A month after their arrival, the soldiers turned away and left the emu to harvest. The end result: Emus 1, Aussies 0.
Examining the emu:
Emus live in dusty lowlands, so they have an extra pair of eyelids to keep the dust out of their eyes.
Female emus lay eggs, but males are responsible for sitting on them until they hatch, which takes about two months.
Emus are built to run, not fly, and are the only birds with calf muscles.
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