LISBON — An emu missing since Wednesday was recaptured Friday in a wooded area of Lisbon.
The bird’s handlers, who were emphatic in their Facebook plea to the public to “NOT APPROACH HIM or CHASE HIM,” got a chance to demonstrate proper emu corraling skills as they slowly encircled the bird with a sheet and what appeared to be a lasso.
The 19-year-old bird that went missing from the Rockin’ T Equine Sanctuary and Rescue, is known as “The Bird” and is said to stand roughly 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs in the area of 100 pounds. It’s not considered dangerous to people, but handlers were concerned that too much attention from a well-meaning public might force the bird into traffic or the fangs of predators.
Rockin’ T Equine Sanctuary sits on 38 acres on Edgecomb Road in Lisbon Falls. The area is surrounded by woods, which was searched on Thursday by Lisbon police, an animal control officers without success.
By Thursday afternoon, the emu remained missing. The sanctuary’s Facebook post about the runaway bird had been shared nearly 200 times.
The emu, with features similar to those of a ostrich, is a flightless bird. Its lifespan is said to be between 10 and 20 years, although they can live up to 30 years in captivity. Rockin’ T Equine Sanctuary came into possession of “The Bird” roughly a decade ago after it was found running loose.
An emu known as “The Bird” is on the loose in Lisbon Falls.
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