Missing 32-year-old emu returns home after week-long escape

A 32-year-old emu has returned home after spending a week on the run, Yle reported. The bird, known as Herra Hoo, was found under a tree in a forest on Saturday afternoon, according to Heidi Haajanen, an entrepreneur at Kuvala farm.

People had reported sightings of the emu during its escape, and it had also been searched for with a drone.

A group helped guide the bird from the forest to the roadside. Video filmed when it was found shows Herra Hoo struggling to break free from the grip of the farm’s other entrepreneur, Janne Haajanen, who repeatedly told the bird to stay calm.

The emu was transported home in a large box and eventually returned safely to its enclosure. There, it was able to enjoy a salad bar, Haajanen said.

Herra Hoo survived the escape by eating at least berries. Haajanen said she was surprised the elderly emu had been found, noting that emus usually live for about 30 years.

“It has spent a week on an autumn foliage trip for pensioners,” Haajanen said.