The Emu (pronounced /.i.mju./), Dromaius novaehollandiae, is the largest
bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius.
It is also the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after
its
ratite relative, the ostrich. The soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds
reach up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height. The Emu is common over most of
mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily populated areas, dense
forest,
and arid areas. Emus can travel great distances at a fast, economical trot
and,
if necessary, can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph) for some distance at a time.
They
are opportunistically nomadic and may travel long distances to find food;
they
feed on a variety of plants and insects, but have been known to go weeks
without
food. Emus will sit in water and are also able to swim.
The Emu subspecies that previously inhabited Tasmania became extinct after
the
European settlement of Australia in 1788; and the distribution of the
mainland
subspecies has been influenced by human activities. Once common on the
east coast,
Emu are now uncommon; by contrast, the development of agriculture and the
provision
of water for stock in the interior of the continent have increased the
range of the
Emu in arid regions. Emus are farmed for their meat, oil, and leather.
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