Coastal emus are one of the most rare and isolated species in Australia. Listed as endangered under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, north coast emus survive only between Red Rock south of Grafton and Evans Head.
According to early settler documentation, the Coastal Emu was once abundant along the entire eastern seaboard of Australia, including parts of Tasmania and off shore islands.
The coastal population rapidly diminished however with increasing settler expansion and urban development. In the 1980’s the habitat of the North Coastal Emu - although contracting - still extended from Port Stephens in the south to Evans Head in the north. Today, only 15% of that habitat remains.
The north coast emu now consists of three distinct sub-populations. Yuraygir National Park south of the Clarence River, Bundjalung National Park north of the Clarence and Richmond River floodplain about 10 to 30 kilometres inland of the coast, are the only remaining safe habitats for the endangered species.
The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service has been running annual north coast emu surveys using community volunteers for 10 years, and in that time the distribution of this population has contracted close to 60%.
The current populations are so fragile that any further fragmentation of the breeding pairs within these remaining habitats may result in the total extinction of the species.
National Park and Wildlife Ranger Holly North is enthusiastic however about possible strategies to combat the declining numbers.
“We hope to obtain DNA samples to find out more about their nesting behaviour and determine numbers and distribution of the endangered population.” Ms North said.
According to recent studies, it may be possible to breed north coastal emus with Western NSW emus. If there is no significant genetic difference between the birds, controlled breeding in the least threatened habitats may be possible.
The main threats facing north coast emus are collisions with vehicles and egg and chick predation by foxes and dogs. “Community support for protecting local emus is the key to their survival,” Ms North said. Recently the Foundation produced a brochure to raise community awareness about the threats to the north coast emus. The brochure encourages people who see emus to report them to the NPWS.
Foundation Projects
Coastal Emu Brochure
In 2010 the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife funded a new brochure for the National Parks & Wildlife Service, to raise community awareness and support for the endangered NSW north coast population of the Coastal Emu.
