An emu that escaped from a ranch is seen in this photo provided by a local resident.

       KIKUCHI, Kumamoto -- All the emus that escaped from a tourist ranch in this southwest Japan city on Oct. 7 had been captured by Oct. 10.

       The Kikuchi Municipal Government and the farm announced on Oct. 10 that they had found the last three outside and rounded them up on the day.

       According to a source close to the ranch, about 20 people including farm staff searched for the big birds on Oct. 10. The last one was found in a rice paddy before harvest some 500 meters away from the ranch, and was caught at around 12:30 p.m. The source commented, "I'm glad they have been found safe."

       The ranch is located at the former site of a closed elementary school, and keeps 54 emus. After about 20 among them escaped early on the morning of Oct. 7, farm staff and local volunteer fire company members searched for them. A source close to the ranch said that a gate at the enclosure had been opened possibly after an emu bumped into it, and it is unclear how many of the birds actually escaped in the turmoil.

       (Japanese original by Takaharu Nishi, Minamata Local Bureau)

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