Escaped Emu Chased by Police in Michigan Ends in Tragedy

Emus in Michigan. Not something you hear every day, but apparently, someone in Michigan didn't get the memo because a man in Lansing found himself in an unexpected chase after the second-tallest bird in the world started chasing him around a neighborhood. It would be funny - if it didn't have a tragic ending.

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What Are Emus?

These large, flightless birds are native to Australia and are known for their incredible speed, reaching speeds of up to 31 mph (which is not ideal for our cameraman later in this story, as they are being chased). They are named after their mating calls, which sound like "e-moo". Curiously, it is the male, not the female, that incubates the eggs. Their diets consist of plants, seeds, fruits, flowers, insects, and small vertebrates.

Emu Loose In Lansing

The chase took place yesterday afternoon after Blake Wilson, a photojournalist for WLNS in Lansing, posted a video on Facebook following his crew's response to a call about an emu that had escaped into a neighborhood. For clarification, no, they are not allowed as pets in Lansing.

Another video in the comments showed police officers and Ingham County Animal Control chasing after the emu with a neck pole, attempting to wrangle the bird to the ground. Sadly, after being restrained, the emu died from a medical condition brought on by distress, according to Ingham County.

We do not condone the ownership of illegal pets, but if you're going to have an unlawful pet, at least do it justice by keeping it in an environment similar to its natural habitat, rather than in a neighborhood.