Baby Emus come to drink

Male Emu with babies, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

I meant to publish this post and the photos several months ago, but I was distracted when writing my novel.

When my son, daughter-in-law and new grandson came over from Sydney for a visit last August we all visited the Monarto Zoo just a few kilometres from our home in Murray Bridge (near Adelaide).

As we were going on one of the walking trails through the zoo we saw this male Emu with his young striped chicks. They had come into one of the watering points near the Visitor Centre. Emus are unusual in the bird kingdom: the female lays the eggs and then the male sits on them and looks after the hatchlings for up to two years. I think that female Emus certainly have it all worked out where family raising is concerned.

Male Emu with babies, Monarto Zoo, South Australia