Footage of an Australian police officer chasing after a runaway emu has gone viral online.
A passerby reported the incident to police, after the stray bird became a “traffic hazard” for motorists near Nashdale, 270 kilometres west of Sydney, earlier this week.
A young officer chased the native on foot, and at one point he even had to speed up to keep up with the bird that can reach top speeds of 50 km/h.
“Following a brief game of ‘catch me if you can’, the officer successfully moved the emu away from the roadway before it could ruffle any more feathers or cause a collision,” NSW Police posted on Facebook.
“It’s not every day you find yourself conducting traffic management for an emu, but that’s policing.”
“If you’re looking for a career where every day brings something new, explore a future in the NSW Police Force.”
They captioned the video, “Only in Straya!”, with the video racking up thousands of views and comments from amused viewers.
One comment read: “Thanks guys for handling this traffic emu-gency.”
Another person quipped that the bird had “refused a breath test”, while others joked about the return of the emu war.
“At least that bird wasn’t a flight risk,” a third wrote.
Emus are Australia’s largest birds and can grow to a height of between 1.6-1.9 metres. Most of the time they can be spotted near fences, along roadsides or other barriers, but they are not social animals.
Chief Inspector David Abercrombie, from the Central West Police District, said the constable who was chasing after the runaway bird was enjoying his moment in the spotlight.
“I’m just lucky it wasn’t me,” Abercrombie told ABC radio.
“If anyone asked me to chase an emu, it’d be more like watching a startled gazelle on Prozac.
“My speed would not be up to scratch.
“The young constable’s doing very well and is very excited by the fact that it’s gone viral.”
Image: NSW Police Force Facebook
