Confused emu thinks he's a horse

An emu in Australia's Northern Territory thinks he's a horse. Almost three years ago the emu shacked up with horses from the Alice Springs mounted police and liked it so much it decided to stay. The flightless bird runs with the horses, eats with the horses and, according to Senior Sergeant Melinda Edwards, acts likes the horses.



"Emu is just called Emu and certainly by his behaviour we get the impression that he thinks he is a horse," she said. "He has taken on the equine lifestyle. He follows the horses in and out of the paddock. As the horses gallop away, he gallops off with them." Senior Sergeant Edwards said Emu was free to roam and it was not by police choice that Emu was there.

"Emu stays whether we want him here or not," she said. According to Senior Sergeant Edwards, inquiries had been made about repatriating Emu. "But there are issues associated with that because Emu came to us when he was quite young and has become domesticated," she said.



Senior Sergeant Edwards said despite Emu's desire to be a horse, not all the police horses were convinced. "We've got five horses out here and there are two he is friendly with and the other three are not so keen on him," she said. "But Emu has made his choice and decided to make the mounted police unit his home for now at least."

With audio interview with Senior Sergeant Edwards. There's a short news video here.