EMUS BORN AT ZOO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22845, 28 September 1937, Page 8

EMUS BORN AT ZOO

ONLY ONE BIRD SURVIVES MALE PARENT'S LONG VIGIL UNUSUAL. PATERNAL CARE The patient vigil of a' male emu at the Auckland Zoo has been rewarded by the hatching of two of: a batch of eight eggs on which the bird has been sitting for the past nine weeks. The remainder were not fertile. One of the ,v. chicks died a few hours later,, but the other is a- sturdy little fellow and in • yesterday morning's sunshine took first outing under the watchful eye of its father. . j.r An outstanding example among birds for paternal care and devotion, it is the male emu who gathers the egg's into ai nest, hatches the chicks, and then Hooks after them until they are able to fend for themselves. With the hen bird kept away in another run, the male emu superintends the feeding of the chick. Its diet at present " consists chiefly of dry oatmeal, fine breadcrumbs, a little grated carrot 'and a little fine-crushed maize. After a week oi: two it will be fed with tha sanie type of food as the bigger birds. Covered' with strong bristly hair, striped- black and grey, the chick will not develop much for the next montfi*- / or so. It will be left under the cartf--'*" •' of the male emu for about three months, and its growth from then.ott will be fairly rapid. When fully developed it should be from about 3ft. 6in. to 4ft. in height.