WHADJUK - BOYA NGURA SHADOW ARBOUR - Emus (Weitj, Wetj, or Waitj)

The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the second-largest living bird by height. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird.

Emus are soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds with long necks and legs, and can reach up to 1.9 metres (6.2 ft) in height. Emus can travel great distances, and when necessary can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph); they forage for a variety of plants and insects, but have been known to go for weeks without eating. They drink infrequently, but take in copious amounts of water when the opportunity arises.

Breeding takes place in May and June, and fighting among females for a mate is common. Females can mate several times and lay several clutches of eggs in one season. The male does the incubation; during this process he hardly eats or drinks and loses a significant amount of weight. The eggs hatch after around eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers. They reach full size after around six months, but can remain as a family unit until the next breeding season. The emu is an important cultural icon of Australia, appearing on the coat of arms and various coins. The bird features prominently in Indigenous Australian mythology.

In the 1930s, emu killings in Western Australia peaked at 57,000, often because they caused crop damage. In the 1960s, bounties were still being paid in Western Australia for killing emus.

Since then, wild emus have been granted formal protection under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Threats to their survival include predation of their eggs, roadkills, and fragmentation of their habitats.