By Benjamin Raven
MLive.com
ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — Police say they had to fatally shoot three wandering emus found in western Michigan after being unable to determine the owner of the big exotic birds.
The Associated Press reports that Allegan County Sheriff’s Capt. Chris Kuhn said officers made a series of unsuccessful attempts to corral the emus after they were found Tuesday, Oct. 2.
Kuhn told WXMI-TV that the big birds wouldn’t clear the roadway, and were posing a danger for drivers. The emus were found near the intersection of 30th Street and 140th Avenue in Dorr Township.
“Attempts were made to corral them, but they can jump 7 feet,” he told the TV station. “You need special enclosures to trap those birds.
“Oh, it’s not a harmless bird. Those birds are about a hundred pounds, and the biggest thing is if they’re cornered or scared, they have very large talons on their feet and can do a lot of damage.”