Emu
Emu
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| エミュー | |||
| Character Data | |||
| Romaji | Emyū
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| Debut | Kemono Friends (2015 Game) | ||
| Animal Data | |||
| Scientific Name | Dromaius novaehollandiae
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| Distribution | Australia
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| Diet | Herbivore
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| Avg. Lifespan | 10-12 years
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| Read More | Emu
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| Conservation | 
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| Emu | Nexon Game |
Emu is a type of Friend that appeared in the original Kemono Friends mobile game.
Appearance
Emu has red eyes and short brown hair that fades to dark brown in her middlemost bang. She has two small wings on the top of her head. She wears a beige vest with black borders, a blue ribbon tie and a very long light brown fur scarf on top, complementing the attire with a pair of long gloves of the same color. She wears an accordion light brown skirt with black fur borders, steel blue leggings and brown ballet flats.
Series Appearances
| Media | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Nexon Game | ↪ Minor character, Playable |
In Real Life
The emu is the second-largest living bird by height, only being exceeded in height by the ostrich. The largest individuals can reach up to 150 to 190 cm in height. Measured from the bill to the tail, emus range in length from 139 to 164 cm, with males averaging 148.5 cm and females averaging 156.8 cm. Adult emus weigh between 18 and 60 kg, with an average of 31.5 and 37 kg in males and females, respectively. Females are usually slightly larger than males and are substantially wider across the rump.
Although flightless, emus have vestigial wings, the wing chord measuring around 20 cm, and each wing having a small claw at the tip. Emus flap their wings when running, perhaps as a means of stabilising themselves when moving fast. They have long necks and legs, and can run at speeds of 48 km/h. Their feet have only three toes and a similarly reduced number of bones and associated foot muscles. When walking, the emu takes strides of about 100 cm, but at full gallop, a stride can be as long as 275 cm. Its legs are devoid of feathers and underneath its feet are thick, cushioned pads. Like the cassowary, the emu has sharp claws on its toes which are its major defensive attribute, and are used in combat to inflict wounds on opponents by kicking. The toe and claw total 15 cm in length. The bill is quite small, measuring 5.6 to 6.7 cm, and is soft, being adapted for grazing. Emus have good eyesight and hearing, which allows them to detect threats at some distance.
When emus sit, their feet go out in front of them. People think their knees bend forward, but actually the knee is higher up, under the feathers so we can't see them. The part we see that bends forward is actually the bird's ankle. They sometimes have a dust bath to clean their feathers, but they rarely swim.
The neck of the emu is pale blue and shows through its sparse feathers. They have grey-brown plumage of shaggy appearance; the shafts and the tips of the feathers are black. Solar radiation is absorbed by the tips, and the inner plumage insulates the skin. This prevents the birds from overheating, allowing them to be active during the heat of the day. The plumage varies in colour due to environmental factors, giving the bird a natural camouflage. Feathers of emus in more arid areas with red soils have a rufous tint while birds residing in damp conditions are generally darker in hue. Emus have a tracheal pouch, which becomes more prominent during the mating season. At more than 30 cm in length, it is quite spacious; it has a thin wall, and an opening 8 cm long.
Emus live in various habitats across Australia both inland and near the coast. They are most common in areas of savannah woodland and sclerophyll forest, and least common in heavily populated districts.
Emus predominately travel in pairs, and while they can form large flocks, this is an atypical social behaviour that arises from the common need to move towards a new food source. Emus have been shown to travel long distances to reach abundant feeding areas. In Western Australia, emu movements follow a distinct seasonal pattern, north in summer and south in winter. On the east coast their wanderings seem to be more random and do not appear to follow a set pattern.
Emus are diurnal birds and spend their day foraging, preening their plumage with their beak, dust bathing and resting. They are generally gregarious birds apart from the breeding season, and while some forage, others remain vigilant to their mutual benefit. They are able to swim when necessary, although they rarely do so unless the area is flooded or they need to cross a river. Emus begin to settle down at sunset and sleep during the night. They do not sleep continuously but rouse themselves several times during the night. When falling asleep, emus first squat on their tarsi and enter a drowsy state during which they are alert enough to react to stimuli and quickly return to a fully awakened state if disturbed. As they fall into deeper sleep, their neck droops closer to the body and the eyelids begin to close. If there are no disturbances, they fall into a deeper sleep after about 20 minutes. During this phase, the body is gradually lowered until it is touching the ground with the legs folded underneath. The beak is turned down so that the whole neck becomes S-shaped and folded onto itself. The feathers direct any rain downwards onto the ground. It has been suggested that the sleeping position is a type of camouflage, mimicking a small mound. Emus typically awake from deep sleep once every ninety minutes or so and stand upright to feed briefly or defecate. This period of wakefulness lasts for ten to twenty minutes, after which they return to slumber.
Emus eats a variety of native and introduced plant species. The diet depends on seasonal availability with such plants as Acacia, Casuarina and grasses being favoured. They also eat insects and other arthropods, including grasshoppers, crickets ,and beetles. They are also known to feed on wheat, and any fruit or other crops that they can access, easily climbing over high fences if necessary. Emus serve as an important agent for the dispersal of large viable seeds, which contributes to floral biodiversity. Emus drink infrequently, but ingest large amounts when the opportunity arises. They typically drink once a day, first inspecting the water body and surrounding area in groups before kneeling down at the edge to drink. They prefer being on firm ground while drinking, rather than on rocks or mud, but if they sense danger, they often stand rather than kneel. If not disturbed, they may drink continuously for 10 minutes. Due to the scarcity of water sources, emus are sometimes forced to go without water for several days. In the wild, they often share water holes with kangaroos, other birds and animals; they are wary and tend to wait for the other animals to leave before they quench their thirst. Emus have a lifespan of between 5 to 10 years.
Trivia
- Great Emu War in Western Australia in 1932. Emus flocked to the Chandler and Walgoolan area during a dry spell, damaging rabbit fencing and devastating crops. An attempt to drive them off was mounted, with the army called in to dispatch them with machine guns; the emus largely avoided the hunters and won the battle.
References
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu
- http://www.kidcyber.com.au/emu
- http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/emu_facts/239/