“The survival rate of the newly hatched chicks of this rare kind of bird is normally low. But these chicks are showing good signs and we are hopeful that they will survive,” said Dr Balakrishna Giri of wildlife rescue unit. “The climate here is not bad for the birds and it is not difficult to feed them as they love leafy vegetables,” Giri added.[break]
The emu couple was exhibited at Bhrikuti Mandap last year after Kathmandu district forest office rescued and handed them over to the zoo. Considered closest relative to Ostrich, the birds were then placed close to the former in the zoo.
“As expected, they hatched chicks in February,” said Giri.
Interestingly, unlike most species of its kind, males take the responsibility of the nest, incubate the eggs over a 56-day period and rear the chicks until they are able to fend for themselves, according to Giri. “Earlier we could only read about the birds, but now we can see them. The male bird´s parental care is amazing,” Giri said.
Program officer at the zoo Sarita Gyanwali said that the entire zoo is thrilled by the birth of the chicks.
“We have been taking all possible care to ensure their survival,” Gyanwali said.
Bird specialist and director of Bird Conservation Nepal Hem Raj Baral said the birds might have escaped from the emu farms in Nepal, just like the farms where ostriches are reared in Rupandehi district. “There is no other possible answer for the presence of emus in out country. They are purely Australian birds,” Baral said. “It is not an endangered species, but is regarded as rare. They are not found in northern hemisphere but only in southern hemisphere,” he added.
Baral stated that emus do not look neat as they do not have interlocked feathers. “They cannot dust themselves off as easily as other birds. They are flightless birds.”
According to Baral, emus are typically 1.8 meter tall and weigh approximately 50 kg and normally found in pair or in family groups. The nomadic flightless creature feed mainly on grains, insects, nuts and new seedlings. Emu is basically used for meat purpose and also to extract leather to make various products such as bags, boots, belts, watch bands, etc.
Related story
Poultry farmers shift to other professions as shortage of chick...
