Public urged to behave around wildlife after woman is chased through Pinnacles by emu

A video of a tourist snapping a picture with an emu has received more than 4000 views on TikTok after it took an unexpected turn, with the 2m-tall bird in hot pursuit of the photographer.

The video shows a woman taking a photo of an emu at The Pinnacles, a popular Mid West tourist destination in Cervantes.

The bird received a fright after the woman snuck up behind it, turning to chase her through the sand before the woman’s partner stepped in between her and the bird.

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction district manager Chris Stewart said: “Wild animals are unpredictable, so it’s always best to take photos of them in the landscape and from a distance.

“When animals are fed by humans, it can domesticate them and lead to behaviour like this around humans, so we encourage people to not feed native wildlife.

“They have quite sharp beaks, so in this situation its best to ask if the photo is really worth it.”

The woman was seen outrunning the bird, which can reach speeds of 50km/h before it lost interest and walked away.

There have been no reported emu attacks in Cervantes, but it is common for the flightless birds to ward people off by running at them.