Escaped emu captured at Prince George, B.C., airport with the help of a local farmer
Staff at the airport in Prince George, B.C., say seeing animals like bears and moose on the grounds is fairly normal.
But not emu.
That was the reality this past Monday, when the large, brown bird made its way down an access road and onto airport property.
“That’s a really unusual sighting,” says Chrisie Berry, the community relations manager for the Prince George Airport, in an interview with CTV News Vancouver. “Emus are not exactly native to this area.”
Berry says she first saw social media posts about the emu wandering through the city and started following the story.
Then she was sent a video of the flightless bird running towards the airport and alerted the airport’s operations group.
“They were already aware the bird was there, so they were just kind of hanging out with it, keeping their distance and not stressing it out, just monitoring it, making sure it’s not going to go somewhere it shouldn’t be,” she says.
Berry says she then jumped in her car and drove to the airport to help with the emu she estimates is at least 5’ tall.
“But most of that is long neck and long legs,” she says.
The bird did not wander towards the airfield and generally left staff alone says Berry, adding it never became a threat to aviation operations. She says the emu was there for about three hours.
“We wanted it removed from airport property. That’s the best case scenario just so we don’t end up with an issue,” she says.
Berry says normally conservation officers or animal control would help with animals, but neither group had experience with the flightless bird. So, they worked with a local veterinary clinic that deals with exotic and large animals to find someone who could help corral the emu.
They pointed Berry in the direction of Brent Meise, the operator of the nearby Blackspruce Farm Tour.
“He has emu, but this wasn’t his emu,” she says. “But, he was nice enough to hook up a horse trailer and come get it for us.”
She says Meise was the hero of the day.
As for the bird’s current whereabouts, CTV News Vancouver has reached out to Blackspruce Farm Tour for more information.
“You never know what you’ll see at the airport and every day is different,” says Berry.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy license bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.
No, a best-selling American writing duo didn't pen a Galen Weston romance novel
You would be forgiven for thinking Christina Lauren's latest romance novel stars a hunky reimagining of Loblaw chairman Galen G. Weston.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Lice removal companies in the GTA say they're seeing a surge in infestations this year
After nearly 15 years in business, Shawnda Walker said the past 12 months has been the busiest year yet for her North York head lice removal company.