Edwin Emu

Edwin Emu's mission is to travel the world and see how far he can get, after all, Emus are known for travelling long distances!

Edwin Emu is part of an Aussie Travel Series of Bugs that I am releasing; we are interested in seeing how far they all travel and the stories they collect along the way!

The Emu is the largest bird native to Australia and the second-largest bird in the world. The soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds reach up to 2 metres in height. They have long thin necks and legs. Emus can travel great distances at a fast, economical trot and, if necessary, can sprint at 50 km/h for some distance at a time. Their long legs allow them to take strides of up to 275 centimetres!  Emus will sit in water and are also able to swim. They are curious and nosy animals who are known to follow and watch other animals and humans. Emus do not sleep continuously at night but in several short stints sitting down.
Emus have a nail on their toes, akin to a knife, which is used in kicking away predators and opponent Emus. Their legs are among the strongest of any animals, allowing them to rip metal wire fences.
The Emu has a prominent place in Australian Aboriginal mythology, including a creation myth of the Yuwaalaraay and other groups in NSW who say that the sun was made by throwing an Emu's egg into the sky. Many Aboriginal language groups throughout Australia have a tradition that the dark dust lanes in the Milky Way represent a giant emu.
The Emu is popularly but unofficially considered as a faunal emblem—the national bird of Australia. It appears as a shield bearer on the Coat of arms of Australia with the Red Kangaroo and as a part of the Arms also appears on the Australian 50 cent coin. It has featured on numerous Australian postage stamps and the hats of the Australian Light Horse are famously decorated with an Emu feather plume.