Amazon Quiz: Name this bird against which a war was once declared by the Australian government.
Ostrich
Eagle
Emu
Flamingo
Answer: Emu
Australia declared a war on emus and lost the battle. It was in 1932, the year of the Great Depression when the government embarked on what would come to be known as the Great Emu War of Western Australia.
Initially, the government began settling former army members giving them land to become farmers. Unfortunately, this was in emu country and wholly inhospitable.
While the emus began to destroy farms for a long time, the depression led to a rise in prices, which forced farmers to either abandon their lands or force the government to help them relocate. The birds, which were thus far recognized as “protected species” were quickly categorized as “vermin” and the military was sent in to get a handle on the situation.
The first wave of assault failed with the Australian army reporting the birds were quick and tough to kill. However, they continued the onslaught, switching tactics, and even trying guerilla warfare. The emus seemed to be resilient and adapted to various tactics of shifting warfare.
The government ultimately called off the military and supplied farmers with the ammunition necessary to handle the emu problem themselves. Bounties were also placed to incentivize people to cull the birds. Even now, in Australia, the laws state that if emus enter private properties, they can be culled using guns with appropriate licenses. While the problem might have been eventually brought under control, the emus won the war against the military despite all odds being against them.
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