29 Oct 2024        13:12:22 pm

Environmental Ecology

Emu

Tags : Emu

Topic: Biodiversity

Why in the news?

• Researchers have uncovered a fascinating mechanism behind the reduction and asymmetry of emu wing bones. The wings not only show significant shortening, but the skeletal elements also fuse asymmetrically. 
• It highlights how differences in embryonic and fetal movement may play a pivotal role in driving morphological evolution, shedding light on the complex developmental processes that shape skeletal structures. 

Source: The Hindu 

About Emu:

• It is a species of flightless bird endemic to Australia, where it is the tallest native bird. 
• It is the only extant member of the genus Dromaius and the third-tallest living bird after its African ratite relatives, the common ostrich and Somali ostrich. 
• The emu\'s native ranges cover most of the Australian mainland. 
• The Tasmanian, Kangaroo Island and King Island subspecies became extinct after the European settlement of Australia in 1788.
• They have soft, brown feathers with long necks and legs, and are up to 1.9 m in height. 
• They are robust bipedal runners that can travel great distances, and when necessary can sprint at 48 km/h. 
• They are omnivorous and forage on a variety of plants and insects, and can go for weeks without eating. 
• They drink infrequently, but take in copious amounts of fresh water when the opportunity arises.
• Breeding takes place in May and June, and fighting among females for a mate is common. 
  • Females can mate several times and lay several clutches of eggs in one season. 
  • The male does the incubation; during this process he hardly eats or drinks and loses a significant amount of weight. 
  • The eggs hatch after around eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers.
  • They reach full size after around six months, but can remain as a family unit until the next breeding season.
• Their IUCN Red List status is least-concern. 
• Threats to their survival include egg predation by other animals (especially invasive species), roadkills and habitat fragmentation.

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