Giant bird on the lam in SC caught days before Thanksgiving. How its adventure ended
One of the emus who has been running free around the Loris area since the summer has been captured, according to its owner Sam Morace.
A pair of emus named Thelma and Louise escaped their Green Sea enclosure in June and have been running freely for months. After The Sun News published an article earlier this month, the emus gained national attention, with People and CBS News picking up the story.
It appears Vicky Fowler Hammond fed the emu, enticing the bird to regularly enter her property. Sam Morace and her father Artie Morace cornered the bird Tuesday on Hammond’s property, Sam said in a Facebook message. Artie then picked up the bird and placed it in a horse trailer.
Hammond lives in between Nichols and Loris, Horry County land records show.
This emu was shot at least once but is OK, Sam said. After capturing the emu, she saw a small hole where a pellet went into the bird’s neck.
The fate of the other emu is still unknown. Over the weekend, there were reports that one emu was shot and killed, although this has not been confirmed. Horry County Police were informed about an emu being shot but were unable to find the body, said spokesperson Mikayla Moskov in a text.
Sam Morace said she is still unsure about the second emu’s location. In a post in a Loris Facebook group, Morace said one emu has been caught and there’s one to go.
Capturing the emus has been a difficult task. The birds can run up to 30 mph and are strong swimmers, according to the Smithsonian.
Along with their physical ability, their owner Artie Moracehas been dealing with early stage prostate cancer.
This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 12:30 PM.
