Authorities in northern New Jersey are searching for the owner of an emu that has been roaming the area for several days, with no one coming forward to claim the large Australian bird.
The Hopatcong Animal Shelter shared photos of the emu on Facebook on Saturday, saying a team of experienced experts was attempting to capture it off Waterloo Road in Byram. The shelter urged residents not to try to capture the bird themselves.
“If you have any information as to who this bird belongs to or any sightings, please call Byram Police,” the post said.
Mount Olive Police Sgt. Marianne Wurtemberg said the emu was spotted again just before 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of International Drive in Budd Lake. Officers responded to the scene but were unable to locate the animal.
Wurtemberg said the emu’s owner has yet to be identified. “No one’s called to say it was theirs and missing that I’m aware of,” she told NorthJersey.com. “People are encouraged to call us if they see it. I do have multiple people willing to go out, catch it, and house it for us.”