Offspring among the emus at Chemnitz Zoo
Following the triple offspring of the Bennett's kangaroos at the beginning of March, the Australian enclosure has now also been home to young emus since mid-March.
Two chicks have seen the light of day. Father Heinrich routinely looks after his offspring, which he has been incubating for almost two months. As with most ratites, the male alone is responsible for brooding. During this time, the cock consumes virtually no food or liquids. He only gets up to turn the eggs several times a day.
This is the fifth offspring for emu cock Heinrich and emu hen Katharina since they have been living together in Chemnitz since 2013. Katharina is separated from Heinrich and the chicks. In the emus, the young are exclusively led by the cock. During the rearing of the young, the emu cock can sometimes become very aggressive in defence of its young and its territory. In the wild, the females therefore move on after laying their eggs, often even into the territories of other males in order to mate again.
Father Heinrich has his own "hatching day" in April - he will be a proud 17 years old. In the wild, that would be a very old age. Due to the improved living conditions, emus in human care can live to be twice as old.
Heinrich and his offspring can currently be seen in the large outdoor enclosure. The chicks can be easily recognised by their characteristic striped plumage, which they keep for around three months.
As the young kangaroos are now also leaving their mothers' pouches more and more frequently, the Australian enclosure in the zoo currently resembles a small kindergarten.
Opening hours in April:
Zoo: 9 am to 7 pm, last admission 6 pm
Wildlife enclosure: 8 am to 6 pm, last admission 5 pm
(Registration is currently required.)