Editing Emu (section)

=== Predation ===
[[File:John Gould Emu.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Emu illustration 1848|Emu and chicks, from ''The Birds of Australia'', John Gould, 1848]]

There are few native natural predators of adult emus still extant. Early in its species history it may have faced numerous terrestrial predators now extinct, including the giant lizard ''[[Megalania]]'', the [[thylacine]], and possibly other [[Dasyuromorphia|carnivorous marsupials]], which may explain their seemingly well-developed ability to defend themselves from terrestrial predators. The main predator of emus today is the [[dingo]], which was originally introduced by [[Indigenous Australians|Aboriginals]] thousands of years ago from a stock of semi-domesticated wolves. Dingoes try to kill the emu by attacking the head. The emu typically tries to repel the dingo by jumping into the air and kicking or stamping the dingo on its way down. The emu jumps as the dingo barely has the capacity to jump high enough to threaten its neck, so a correctly timed leap to coincide with the dingo's lunge can keep its head and neck out of danger.<ref name=e29>Eastman, p. 29.</ref> Despite the potential prey-predator relationship, the presence of predaceous dingoes does not appear to heavily influence emu numbers, with other natural conditions just as likely to cause mortality.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Caughley, G. |author2=Grigg, G.C. |author3=Caughley, J. |author4=Hill, G.J.E. | title = Does dingo predation control the densities of kangaroos and emus? | journal = Australian Wildlife Research | year = 1980 | volume = 7 |issue=1 | pages = 1–12 | doi = 10.1071/WR9800001 |bibcode=1980WildR...7....1C |citeseerx=10.1.1.534.9972 }}</ref> [[Wedge-tailed eagle]]s are the only avian predator capable of attacking fully-grown emus, though are perhaps most likely to take small or young specimens. The eagles attack emus by swooping downwards rapidly and at high speed and aiming for the head and neck. In this case, the emu's jumping technique as employed against the dingo is not useful. The birds try to target the emu in the open ground so that it cannot hide behind obstacles. Under such circumstances, the emu runs in a chaotic manner and changes directions frequently to try to evade its attacker.<ref name=e29 /><ref>''Wedge-tailed eagle (Australian Natural History Series)'' by Peggy Olsen. CSIRO Publishing (2005), {{ISBN|978-0-643-09165-8}}</ref> While full-grown adults are rarely preyed upon, [[dingo]]s, [[Bird of prey|raptors]], [[Perentie|monitor lizards]], introduced [[red fox]]es, feral and domestic dogs, and feral pigs occasionally feed on emu eggs or kill small chicks. Adult males fiercely defend their chicks from predators, especially dingos and foxes.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" /><ref name=HBWA/>