Australian Emu – Zoo Negara

On 28 June 2012, we going to Zoo Negara which is located at Ulu Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. We asked to observed an animal that we like, the behavior of them when they are alone or when they are in the crowd (group). We also asked to make a 3D modeling of that animal, as well with a complete diagram about their attributes and their actions. So, I choose Australian Emu for my observation.

The emu is the largest bird in Australia and the second largest in the world after ostrich. It is part of a group birds called ratites, which are big birds that do not fly. The emu have tiny wings but the bones across their chest do not have a part for flight muscles to attach to. Emu females are generally larger than the males. Females weight about 40kg, the males about 36kg.

Why I choose the emu? Because I feel interested with the ability of this bird. Emu can run up to 50km/h, and they have a pair of very long legs with 3 large toes each with a claw. Emu have brown feathers, and it grow like hairs not like the other birds feathers. From my observation, emu necks are often without feathers, and the skin is bluish. Emus also have long necks, sharp beaks and small ears and they can scratch their back with their beak. From the information board that available in front of the emu’s cage, I found more information such as they have two sets of eyelids, one for blinking and one to keep out the dust. One of the three toes on their feet has a long talon which is for fighting. Emus can grow to between 5 to 6.5 feet (1.5 – 2 meters) in height and weigh up to 130 pounds (60kg). The males make a grunting sound like a pig and the females make a loud booming sound or like drumming.

        Emus are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plants and meat. They eat fruits, flowers, insects, seeds and green plants. As they peck at the grass, they pick up snails, slugs or other grubs as well. They even eat stones, dirt and tin cans by accident. When food is plentiful, emus store large amounts of fat in their bodies. They use these fat stores to survive while looking for more food. The emu is an animal that active during day time. I also record a video when I saw the emu, from the video we can see the environment where the emu lives. They have a quite wide cage but still I do not feel it is good enough for the emu, because from the information again, it stated that the emu is a nomadic animal and normally they will roam the country to search for the food. It should be more bigger than what they have, and still need more grass.