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=Welcome to Facts About Emus=

Description and Lifespan
=== ﻿At 10 inches at birth emus are hardly considered small. There small wings look underdeveloped and pointless. Well they are, but their lack of flight makes up in speed. They can run up to 40 miles an hour with a stride of up to 9 feet in length. They have black and white stripes and gradually change to black, then to a mixture of tan, brown, and black. They can grow to be 5 to 6 feet tall, usually weighing 90 to 120 pounds. As healthy birds no common disease within the species has been found, they can live to be between 30 and 40 years. ===

Diet and Habitat
=== Emus are omnivores. They eat a variety of plants and insects and emus being held in captivity are known to usually eat shards of glass, marbles, car keys, and jewelry. Although emus don't drink water often, when they do it's in very large quantities. Emus are generally afraid of other species and usually wait until the area is clear of any other animals before drinking. Emus are only found in Australia. They live in all types of environments because of the fact that they are so adaptable, but they do stay clear of thick, dense forests and deserts. They are commonly found in open grassland. ===

Discovery
=== In 1696 there were reports of the emu made when European explores made a visit to Australia, although not officially recorded until 1788. The species was first named by John Latham, an ornithologist, who named it an Emu. Before "emu" came into question it was commonly just called a "New Hollander". The scientific name for the bird is "Dromaius Novaehollandiae". ===

General Information
=== Emus are curious and docile creatures which may be why they tend to find themselves in some trouble quite often. With the estimate number of 625,000 to 725,000 birds in Australia alone, these birds are nowhere near extinction like all other subspecies of the emu. Today no emu can be exported out of Australia due to that the emu is the Australian national bird, but now they are quite common in all places, mostly in zoos and on European farms. ===

Emu Farming
=== Emus are farmed for their meat, oils, leather and feathers. An Emu's oil is used in all kinds of lotions, shampoos, soaps, and other health care products. It's also very easy to farm emus because they are so adaptable and they aren't as susceptible to disease like other animals. An emus meat is lean and often sold to health conscious buyers. Their leather and feathers are used for making crafts, bags, and jewelry. Their feathers are also used in some cleaning applications. ===

Fun Facts

 * === Emus are excellent swimmers. ===
 * === ﻿There are more than 600 places in Australia named after the emu. ===
 * **Emus can't back up.**

Works Cited "Emu." //Wikipedia//. N.p., 5 March 2011. Web. 6 Mar 2011. . "Birds: Emu." //San Diego Zoo//. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar 2011. . "EMU FACTS." //4 D Acres//. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar 2011. .