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Australia
drought: New South Wales town “mobbed'” by thirsty emus
19
August, 2018
19
August 2018 (BBC News) – Large numbers of emus have been flocking
to an outback mining town in New South Wales as Australia continues
to struggle with extreme drought.
The
flightless birds are desperately searching for food and water in
Broken Hill, local animal rescue services say.
"They're
actually walking down our main street. We're seeing mobs of them,"
wildlife worker Emma Singleton said.
Separately,
the Australian PM has announced extra aid for farmers hit by the
drought.
"I
want to say to our farmers, we have your back," Malcolm Turnbull
told reporters, as he announced a A$1.8bn (US$1.3bn; £1.03bn)
increase in funds to help deal with extreme aridity in New South
Wales.
Australia's
most populous state, which produces about a quarter of the country's
agricultural output, was officially declared entirely in drought on 8
August.
In
Broken Hill, 935km (580 miles) west of Sydney, groups of emus have
been seen "running laps of the main street, eating gardens and
gate crashing football matches", ABC News reports.
Ms
Singleton, who works for the Rescue and Rehabilitation of Australian
Native Animals, said: "We've had 14 on a sporting oval. They've
been out there for weeks - the locals in that area are giving them
food and water." […]
Parts
of New South Wales have had the lowest rainfall on record, with less
than 10mm of rain recorded in some areas in July.
As
well as failing crops, farmers there have been struggling to feed and
water livestock. Mr Turnbull said some had spent as much as A$10,000
per truckload of hay just to feed their animals. [more]
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