No, emus are flightless, but they compensate with powerful legs that let them run at speeds up to 50 km/h.

What was the Emu War?

In 1932, the Australian military used machine guns in an attempt to control emus damaging crops in Western Australia, but the birds proved too fast and unpredictable, and the campaign is remembered as a famous failure.

Emuエミュー

Dromaius novaehollandiaeLC— Least Concern

The emu is the world's second-tallest living bird after the ostrich, a flightless giant endemic to Australia that can sprint at up to 50 km/h. Roaming the continent's grasslands and open country, it famously bested the Australian army in the 1932 "Emu War."

Emu (reference photo) — Photo: fry_theonly / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Casuariiformes / Dromaiidae Source
Size: Height about 1.6–2.0 m (body length 139–164 cm)
Weight: 40–60 kg
Lifespan: Over 10 years in the wild, up to about 20 years in captivity
Diet: Omnivore Omnivorous, eating plants such as acacia, fruit and seeds, and insects such as grasshoppers; swallows small stones to aid digestion
Distribution: Endemic to Australia, ranging across most of the mainland's grasslands and open country. Source
Sources: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

Though flightless, the emu can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h, using its powerful legs to cover long distances. Source
In 1932, Australian military personnel armed with machine guns attempted to cull crop-destroying emus in Western Australia in the famous "Emu War," but the birds largely evaded the hunters thanks to their speed and unpredictable movement. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 20

Emuエミュー

Species Data

Did You Know?

Where to See This Species

Adventure WorldWakayamaOpened in 1978

Ishikawa DoubutsuenIshikawaAbout 60 minutes from the Kanazawa-Morimoto Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway, about 40 minutes from the Kanazawa-Nishi Interchange, and about 20 minutes from the Komatsu Interchange.

Izu Shaboten ZooShizuokaOpened in 1959

Utsunomiya DoubutsuenTochigiAbout 5 minutes from the Utsunomiya IC on the Tohoku Expressway; free parking for 1,000 cars.

Yokohama Shiritsu Yokohama DoubutsuenKanagawaOpened in 1999

Iwate SafariParkIwateAbout 45 minutes from the Ichinoseki IC, about 30 minutes from the Wakayanagi-Kannari IC, or about 25 minutes via National Route 284.

Kyoto City ZooKyotoOpened in 1903

Noichi Zoological Park of Kochi PrefectureKochiA 20-minute walk or 13-minute rental-bicycle ride from Noichi Station on the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Gomen-Nahari Line.

Saitamakenkodomodoubutsu Shizen KouenSaitamaOpened in 1980

Ichikawashi DoushokubutsuenChibaAddress: 284-1 Omachi, Ichikawa, Chiba.

Hirakawa ZooKagoshimaAbout a 20-minute walk from Goino Station on the JR Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line, or take a bus bound for Taniyama / Dobutsuen from Fukuhira Nokyo-mae to the last stop.

Matsue Vogel ParkShimaneOpened in 2001

Sendaishiyagiyama Doubutsu KouenMiyagiTake the Sendai Subway Tozai Line to Yagiyama Zoological Park Station; the zoo is right by the elevator from Central Exit 1 (about 12 minutes from Sendai Station).

Chiba Zoological ParkChibaOpened in 1985

Tennoji ZooOsakaOpened in 1915

Ueno ZooTokyoOpened in 1882

TOBU ZOOSaitamaFrom Tobu-Dobutsu-Koen Station (west exit), about 10 minutes on foot (600 m) or about 5 minutes by bus.

Iida Shiritsu DoubutsuenNaganoAddress: 33 Ogimachi, Iida, Nagano.

Fukuoka Zoo & Botanical GardenFukuokaOpened in 1953

Wakayamajou Kouen DoubutsuenWakayamaOpened in 1919

Former facilities

North Safari SapporoHokkaidoOpened in 2005

Temporarily closed facilities

Satsukiyama DAYZOOOsakaOpened in 1957

Latest news

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Sources

Support Conservation

FAQ

Books & gear