A “famous emu” has wreaked havoc in Ödeshög.
On Wednesday, it was shot dead – by a secret hunter.
– Who that person is, is confidential, says Emil Jarkrans, administrator at the County Administrative Board in Östergötland to Corren.
Since the end of March, an emu has been running loose in Ödeshög in Östergötland. During Wednesday, hunters were sent out in search of the escaped bird. Already that evening it had been shot dead, reports say Corren.
– We received the decision yesterday afternoon and the bird was killed last night, says Emil Jarkrans, administrator at the County Administrative Board in Östergötland to the newspaper.
Strong reactions among local residents: “Damn”
One person was sent out to hunt emus. Who that person is has been classified as confidential.
In a local Facebook group, the bird has attracted a lot of interest. Several people have reported where and when they saw it, which is believed to be the reason it was found so quickly.
– They probably had a reasonable grasp of where the bird was, says Emil Jarkrans to Corren.
Emus are now classified as game and will belong to the landowner.
After the news of the death, there are several people who rage in the same group.
“Damn,” someone writes. “To hell with people,” writes another.
Another person, however, believes that it was about time.
“Something had to be done”
Elin Hultman is one of the residents of Ödeshög who has been visited by emus. Her feelings are divided.
– It has been a bit exciting to see it, but at the same time it is not the right environment for it. Something had to be done as it wouldn’t survive the winter, she tells TV4 Nyheterna.
The ostrich-like birds are the world’s fourth largest bird species, can weigh up to 50 kilograms and have a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour. Emus are native to Australia, where they are also the national bird.
In Sweden, there are special rules that make it possible to have emus as pets. Among other things, they must be fenced and supervised at least twice a day. If they are shown to other people more than seven times a year, care rules for zoos must be followed, according to the Swedish Agency for Agriculture.