Watch a Massive Emu Turn Aggressive and Chase a Man

The guy in this clip has caused a huge outrage in the emu enclosure! None of these huge birds look particularly happy to see him there, but one of them has decided to drive him out! Watch the hilarious footage as an aggressive emu chases a human intruder and makes it quite clear that he needs to leave immediately!

Can Emus Hurt a Human?

Yes, in theory, an emu can injure a human. They are large and powerful birds standing over six feet in height and weighing over 100 pounds. Emus also have very long legs with three pointed toes armed with sharp nails. They use their long legs to run away from and kick predators and they can cause nasty injuries. Their kick is powerful enough to kill a dingo!

Having said that, emus are rarely aggressive. They only act like this if they feel threatened by an animal or a human especially if they are protecting their offspring. It’s not a good idea to startle an emu because this is most likely to trigger an attack. Female emus are more aggressive than males and are most irritable during the breeding season. There is no point in trying to outrun them because emus can reach 35 miles an hour. Sometimes a group works together to drive away an intruder.

Emus are flightless birds so they cannot fly away from predators and have evolved to fight instead. They do not attack with their beak because it is soft and would leave their neck exposed. Most emu injuries on humans were inflicted by the feet and only resulted in superficial wounds.

How to Fend off an Emu Attack

The guy in this clip could have gotten out of the enclosure if he wanted to. He is making very little attempt to get away from the birds! You can spot that an emu is going to attack because it will stand tall and puff up its feathers so that it looks larger and scarier. You can see the emu in this clip doing exactly that! They also hiss and stick out their chest.

If you do see an emu acting like this, it’s best to get out of the enclosure quickly. Failing that, back away slowly and quietly and try to hide behind a tree or building. It’s most likely that the emu will quickly lose interest and leave you alone!

Watch the Incredible Footage Below

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Albert Wright