The hard part may be figuring out what to do with the large, prehistoric-looking birds. They once were hailed as something that could do for modern-day Texas ranchers what the longhorn steers did for ranchers in the 1860s. In recent years, their value has plummeted. Parker County Chief Deputy Larry Fowler said officials believe there may be between 100 and 200 emus still roaming the countryside. But county officials say they are pleasantly surprised to learn that some individuals are interested in acquiring the abandoned birds.
Callers have inquired from as far away as Missouri, officials say.
He said officials could decide to sell the emus, give them away or come up with another means of disposal. A Feb. 2 hearing is scheduled to decide the emus' fate. Fowler said four of the emus had to be destroyed and about half of the birds were in poor health because of malnourishment. Many emu owners simply turned them loose rather than pay the high cost to feed them when the demand for emus plummeted, officials say. The birds were first sighted in Parker County in October and since then they have frightened small children and injured livestock, including expensive quarter horses.