Limu isn’t coming to Emporia, but several emus are now part of the David Traylor Zoo’s expanding list of animals.
This past Friday, the zoo mentioned a quintet of female emus. On KVOE’s Morning Show on Monday, Director Brenda Young says the emus were made available to the public late last week after a quarantine period.
Zookeeper Anthony Fast says the emus are fast becoming his favorite birds at the zoo.
The quintet — Huginn, Hela, Sif, Muninn and Freyja — were all named after Norse mythological lore. These emus are native to Australia and can live in several different habitats like grasslands, forests and semi-deserts. They can stand up to 6.5 feet, weigh up to 150 pounds and can run up to speeds of 30-35 mph. In the wild, emus can eat anything from insects to seeds and fruits. At the zoo, they are being fed a mix of vegetables and a custom-made kibble.
Young says the ultimate plan is to move the emus from their current exhibit space near the bison to the other side of the zoo, where they will be near the kookaburras and eagles. The time frame for that move is to be determined.
