Emu Recaptured in Lincolnshire Following Four-Week Escape

An emu that had escaped has been successfully recaptured following several weeks at large in Lincolnshire. The female bird was observed on multiple occasions in the vicinity of Spilsby during the last month; however, Lincolnshire Police stated that the exact time or location of its escape remained unknown. The Australian animal, which rescuers named Wiggles, was apprehended by several wildlife organizations near Spilsby on Friday. The National Exotics Animal Rescue Service (NEARS), one of the participating groups, issued a call for its owner to make contact. NEARS commented: “Wiggles is now safe and will reside at an emu specific sanctuary where she will be checked over by an exotic vet and looked after until the owner comes forward, or she is fit and ready to go up for adoption. “She’s a little skinny after her adventure but nothing some TLC won’t fix.” Over 40 volunteers participated in her capture, employing swan hooks and deer nets, after the bird ended up in a ditch filled with water. Jen Quinn of Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue characterized the search for the absent emu as an “absolute nightmare”. She stated, “She stayed relatively in the same place.” She added, “They had a couple of emu keepers that had been with her on a daily basis. They’d taken some food out and a bucket of water and tried to gain their trust.” However, she noted, “But that was interrupted by a group of people in a 4×4 chasing her across the field, so of course we’re back to square one.”