Emus around Sydney?

[colinm]

I came across some prints today ... I think they might be emu.

https://picasaweb.google.com/mcccol/TracksInSydney?authuser=0&feat=directlink

The photos were just taken with my phone, at close to midday, in sand, so the quality is not great. I neglected to include a scale - they're about as big as my hand, quite widely spaced, and lead to a water-filled rut in the track.

Any opinions? I had no idea there were emus around here.

(edit: I'm thinking less that they're emus.)

[johnw]

Really hard to say what they are Colin. Where did you find them? Emus did once inhabit the Sydney Region but now uncommon I think.

[colinm]

I think they're extinct around Sydney, which is why I was surprised. The answer is (thanks to a scouter on FB) probably GOANNA. Duh.

I didn't see a tail drag mark, but it's otherwise consistent with a goanna ... a really big one! This was up in Marramarra NP. Heading toward a rut in the road with some water in it. I did see small marks consistent with a tail drag leading away from the water ... so here's the scenario: small goanna having a drink, bigger feller comes out of the scrub running, to chase away the little one, running (large) goanna has his tail up in the air.

Oh well, mystery solved. Also, I'm definitely going to hang my food if I camp there *&%$#! thing looked to be the size of a small komodo!

[wildwalks]

I came across some prints today ... I think they might be emu.
(edit: I'm thinking less that they're emus.)

I have seen what I thought where emu prints in Ku-ring-gai Chase NP and in Berowra Valley RP, I now think they where drop bear prints :}
But after more thinking I think they where prints from a big brush turkey (they do grow them big on the north side).

It is really hard to tell by the photos, is there 4 toes in the print (or three)???
It seems to have nails. So Goanna is possible, but is there are some drag marks I would be leaning towards the front paws of a Kangaroo or Wallabie. If the front paws got wet from your water hole, then they may leave a greater indentation then the back feet and tail. This only works if there where only about 3-4 prints away from the water hole???

Matt

[FatCanyoner]

There are still some emu's in Sydney, at the old ADI site at St Marys. Unfortunately the kangaroos and emu's are being culled / removed as part of the development, but the last time I went past the middle section (which will be a regional park) there were still plenty of emu's around.
In the old days (nearly 10 years ago) I spent quite a bit of time walking in there. The emu's were very friendly. I took my eldest son in a backpack when he was very young and we got within two metres of two very magestic birds.

[michael_p]

One of my cousins lived in a house that backed onto the ADI site and the emus would come right up to the back fence looking for a feed.

[aussiehiker]

These are pretty typical macropod tracks. As you're around Sydney the most likely candidate would be swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor.

Contrary to what someone else said, they're hind foot tracks, made by the front part of the hind foot when they're on the move, ie hopping.

Here's a clearer version of what you're looking at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougbeckers/3455952484/

When wallabies move very slowly, you will see tracks with both front and rear footprints, as well as a tail print, but that's not what you have here. During hopping locomotion the tail doesn't make contact with the ground.

For reference, an emu track will have three toes, with only one central forward pointing toe print, not two as you have here
eg: http://www.google.com.au/imgres?num=10& ... ,s:0,i:121

[forest]

These are pretty typical macropod tracks. As you're around Sydney the most likely candidate would be swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor.

Yep, What he said.
I don't think they are goanna and they definately are not emu.

Just looks like a wallaby with it's two back feet together.

[kanangra]

I don't know about sydney but I saw emus at Yerranderie years ago.

K.

[jackhinde]

those prints are obviously macropod rear feet.
emus were certainly in sydney, hence rock art/carvings by original human inhabitants. I have seen them in joorilands, and that land east of yerrinbool which i did not enter.