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Have you ever got frightened seeing a big bird suddenly appearing on your screen? Well, there is a reason to get frightened as we all have heard stories of them attacking humans.
It’s no secret that cassowary is considered the world’s most dangerous bird. It might be the reason why they can not be domesticated.
It’s just not cassowary, some other big birds can not be domesticated for more or less the same reasons as well.
Most of the big birds that are living in the wild or zoos are dangerous. Even if they are not as dangerous as cassowary, they can still not be completely harmless either.
After cassowary, Emus has got the reputation of being a dangerous bird.
Emus are flightless birds. The said big birds are strong and hardy. They can travel long distances tirelessly, drink infrequently, and can go weeks without food.
They are about 6.2 feet tall, which makes them the second-largest birds on planet earth.
Emus have not just been prized for their height, they get admired for their weight as well.
As per animal enthusiasts, the average adult emu weighs up to 60 kgs. This includes them on the list of the World’s heaviest birds.
That’s not all, Emus occupy our minds because of their behavior towards humans as well. They have been known for observing and chasing humans.
This unusual behavior tricks us into thinking that emus are dangerous birds. Frankly, observing and chasing can not determine if the bird is dangerous or not.
We have to find out some other way;
Are Emus Really Dangerous?
Yes, Emus can be “really” dangerous when provoked. As they are titled the second most dangerous birds, there must be a legitimate reason.
The question “are emus dangerous?” can only be answered this way.
To be able to understand how dangerous emus can be we have to study their behavior towards humans.
It is believed that the said big birds have keen sight and a remarkable hearing sense. They are great observers as well.
Emus only attack when they observe or hear a threatening movement or sound.
To be more specific, they would not chase or attack until they sense fear, notice unusual movements or postures, or a piece of clothing in a certain color.
If they observe an unexpected movement of a limb, or a human wearing a certain color, nothing can keep them from chasing and attacking the human.
They gear up by hissing and puffing their feathers and begin chasing the human. Emus are powerful runners as they have strong legs.
They approach the prey in no time and attack by kicking the human brutally.
No matter how dangerous birds are, they will still be birds. They can attack or cause wounds and injuries using their claws or beaks.
Emus have got nothing else to attack but powerful claws and sharp beaks. They kick and cause wounds using their beak.
The wild Emus are more dangerous
Wild animals can not be domesticated for a variety of reasons; one being dangerous. If we see it this way, the wild emus are far more dangerous than the domestic ones. A mob of provoked emus can kick the life out of a human.
How Dangerous Can Emus Be?
Emu does not need a mob to attack a human. They are strong enough to chase and pounce one human at a time.
Emus can cause serious wounds but are not dangerous enough to kill a human. To kill a human brutally, there needs to be a mob and they have to be overly aggressive. One emu can never be dangerous enough to kill. Only cassowaries can kill humans.
Only provoked emus are dangerous
It is known only to a few of us that emus can be domesticated or they can be a great pet.
Adult emus have also been kept as a pet. As per their keepers, the pet emus are docile and friendly.
However, even the overly loved and pampered pet emus can get moody and aggressive sometimes.
If provoked, they can chase and attack as well. To keep an emu as a pet, you might need an experienced person for the job.
Emus can also attack for this one legitimate reason as well
Emus are super protective of their babies. Most attacks happen because of that as well.
If emus feel threatened they get protective of the babies. To protect their babies, they chase and attack the humans.
Emus are aggressive towards other birds and animals
Emus are not only reported to attack humans they do not mind pouncing on birds and animals as well.
The reason would be the same; to defend their babies and themselves.
Emus are nearly free of predation, they hardly feel threatened or get attacked by birds or animals.
However, whenever they feel threatened they do not spare birds and animals as well.
Emus do not want attention, they attack when the opposite happens
It is noticed that emus do not like being in the spotlight. They do not like receiving attention or being observed at all.
The emus living their lives in captivity are used to receiving attention however, the wild ones do mind being in the spotlight.
The wild emus attack the same way when they observe receiving attention.
Emus stop chasing and pouncing when they do not feel threatened anymore
Nothing on earth can keep the emus from chasing and pouncing when they are threatened.
They have a habit of following and attacking the threat as long as they feel threatened. When a human stop being a threat, they simply wander away.
Emus are easier to get rid of
Emus do not attack humans with beaks and claws right away. They chase first, if you do not get frightened, and keep casually walking away. They would stop chasing. That’s how simply you can avoid an attack.
Related How Much Does An Emu Cost?
Conclusion
In brief, the appropriate answer to the question are emus dangerous is yes, emus are dangerous when provoked. They would chase, kick, attack, and cause serious wounds. Emus attack humans and animals when they feel threatened. Moreover, emus are protective of their babies. They get aggressive to protect their babies as well.
