La Trobe University releases three Emus into Bundoora campus nature reserve

Whether it’s posing for a selfie or getting a close up. These 318 month old emus are rising stars, but they aren’t just photogenic, they’re environmentally essential. I’m really excited them for them to make themselves at home familiarize themselves. The flightless birds have just been released into La Trobe University’s Nanyak Temporary Wildlife Centre in Melbourne’s north, making them the only emus at an Australian City University campus. A traditional smoking ceremony welcomed the native animals. We’re really pleased and happy that they’re here with us and we’ll be properly cared for. The three males are the park’s latest attraction after their much loved predecessors passed away several years ago. To replace them I think is really beautiful because they belong to this environment. Emus help regenerate the land by transporting seeds and spreading plant life across large distances. So Amy’s a really important particularly to Victoria because they can consume large amounts of plants. They’re really good for weed management. 3 Emus are now free to roam the 90 acres this sanctuary has to offer. It’ll be open to the public and just 20 kilometres from Melbourne CBD. It’s expected that these fine feathered creatures will live until they’re 25 years old, so this one likes me a lot. They’ll be keeping their eye on students for many years to come.