AG Flickr photo of the week: wild emus
A MOB OF WILD emus in the Queensland outback are the subject of this week’s AG Flickr photo by 14-year-old Caleb McElrea from Brisbane, QLD.
“This photo was taken on the way out to Carnarvon Gorge with my dad, after taking a wrong turn that caused us to get bogged for about half a day and most of the next morning,” says Caleb. “We were dirty, tired, and just wanted to get out of there after spending probably a total of 10 hours sinking rocks into the bog to get a surface we could jack the car up onto and then drive out on.
We were finally getting somewhere, going through sweeping grassy farmlands with kangaroos and wallabies hopping of everywhere, when I spotted five black dots sticking up out of the grasses. We’d seen them on the way in, so I could tell they were emus. They were a lot closer this time, so I hopped out, using the car as a bit of a improvised hide, snapping off photos of them walking well apart from each other. Finally, though, they came together and I managed to get this shot just as their heads all stood tall. Even after that, they put on a show. Within a minute or two, we had five emus crossing the road in a line about 10 metres in front of us. It was an awesome sight to see.
I have a passion for nature and wildlife. I got an SLR a few years back with the intention of getting some respectable photos of the wildlife our family has a knack of going out and finding. Since then it’s turned into a hobby as well as almost an obsession, as it so often does. It’s just such a great way to show off what Australia has to offer, especially places and species that need protection. Maybe someday I’ll be able to get save a species or two. I certainly hope I can help.”
This pic appeared in the Australian Geographic Flickr group. Share your own photography and it could be featured on Australian Geographic online!
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