A wayward emu turned the Salisbury Bypass into an unlikely wildlife corridor on Saturday, triggering a multi-hour response from Maryland State Police before the big bird was finally rounded up and reunited with its owners. Drivers and nearby residents watched the chase unfold as troopers tried to keep the oversized sprinter out of traffic on the Eastern Shore.
Troopers from the Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack were called to the Salisbury Bypass near the Ocean City exit at about 10:50 a.m., according to Fox Baltimore. The outlet reports that officers quickly contacted the emu's owners and coordinated a rolling search as the bird zigzagged through the roadway.
Local coverage states the bird was struck by a vehicle at about 1:30 p.m. but somehow escaped injury, and troopers managed to capture it at roughly 2 p.m. in the area of Pheasant Drive using a dog leash. The Baltimore Banner reports the emu was back with its owners about an hour later, and that no motorists were hurt during the roadside drama.
How Troopers Secured the Bird
Video and photos from the scene show troopers carefully steering the emu away from moving traffic and using a makeshift leash to secure it. The images, credited to Michael W. Coetzee and Kayla Harmon, are highlighted by Fox Baltimore. Authorities did not say how the bird managed to escape its enclosure in the first place.
Runaways Aren't Unheard Of
Similar escapades have popped up elsewhere this spring, including a runaway emu nicknamed "Walter" in Barnstable that Hoodline covered in April. The Salisbury incident ended with the bird healthy and back home, but it underscores the strange public-safety challenges that exotic pets can create when they decide to test their top speed on busy roads.
