OTSU (Japan): (Bernama-Kyodo) An emu on Wednesday (Sept 23) morning escaped from a mobile zoo in western Japan but was later captured, with no injuries reported, local authorities said, Kyodo News reported.
Emergency services received a call from a passerby around 6.45am reporting that "an ostrich ran by" on a road in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture.
Staff at Horii Zoo captured the emu on the grounds of a nearby apartment complex after being contacted by local police.
The emu, which hatched last year, is about 1.8 metres tall and had been allowed to roam near the entrance.
The zoo said it confirmed the bird was inside the grounds at 6.30am and is investigating how it escaped, as the iron push gate had been secured with a rubber rope.
The zoo had previously seen a kangaroo escape in 2010 and three porcupines in 2013.
Measures such as installing gates and double doors have been taken, but the zoo said it plans to review how it keeps emus following the incident.
Emus are large, flightless birds native to Australia. They are the second-tallest birds after ostriches and are adept runners. - Bernama-Kyodo
