Is This Your Flightless Bird? Police Rescue Emu In East Bay Park

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — It was an emu-tional day for one flightless bird that was caught roaming around the East Bay Regional Park District last week, according to police.

The East Bay Regional Park District Police Department said they found an emu on the loose at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park last week, prompting a "high-stride" pursuit.

"Officers Lopez, Sanghera, and Salas successfully located, corralled, and safely transported the feathered suspect to Clark Road, where Contra Costa County Animal Control took over," the department said in a Facebook post Saturday morning. No officers were harmed. No emus were harmed. Pride? Slightly ruffled."

It's unclear where the bird came from or what its future holds.

Emus are native to Australia and are considered the second-largest bird in the world, surpassed only by ostriches, according to the Oakland Zoo.

They can grow to be 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weigh more than 80 pounds as adults. Their lifespan in the wild can range from 5 to 10 years, but up to 20 years in captivity.

Although flightless, they have strong legs, which allow them to defend themselves against one of their main predator, the dingo. A kick from an emu can be lethal, according to the zoo.

The strong and long legs of an emu can also help them reach speeds of up to 31 miles per hour.