Emmanuel the emu, the bird that went viral for education videos about farming with his owner Taylor Blake, could be facing his swan song.
The beloved bird is fighting for his life after contracting avian influenza that’s wiped out most birds on the farm where he lives, according to his owner, Blake, who shared the heartbreaking news with fans on Twitter Saturday.
Emmanuel contracted the virus from a flock of wild Egyptian geese he came in contact with on Blake’s South Florida farm, Knuckle Bump Farms, despite his owner’s efforts to ward them off.
“At one point, there were are many as 50 of them that would fly in every night at the same time. We would chase them off, and they would return under the cover of darkness,” Blake tweeted, explaining that her farm suffered the loss of 99% of its birds.
She was in contact with the state of Florida and was told they believe the standing water after Hurricane Ian helped the spread of the virus.
“I will do anything and go into any amount of debt to save his life,” Blake tweeted about her beloved pet, explaining to fans on Twitter that her vet was able to sedate and stabilize Emmanuel until she finds an avian specialist, noting that she’s been, “treating him around the clock” since Wednesday.
Due to the myriad variants, it can be impossible to vaccinate birds, Blake explained, noting that Emmanuel has nerve damage in his right leg and foot.
“All that matters to me is saving him,” she said.
Blake confirmed Emmanuel is stable and his neurological symptoms have subsided but that he still will not eat or drink independently. Instead, she must feed him fluids every two hours.
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Earlier this summer, Blake went viral on social media with posts chronicling her attempts to record educational videos of animals on the farm with her adorable emu chiming in unexpectedly. The videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.
Fans of the majestic emu flocked to his support on Twitter, sharing well wishes with Blake and words of encouragement.
“I’m devastated for you. Life on the farm can be tragic at times. It comes with the territory, but man it doesn’t ever get easier. Sending healing vibes your way,” one user Tweeted.
Another tweeted, “So many prayers for you, stay strong, let our love for you and Emmanuel keep you strong.”
Despite the dismal circumstances, Blake is optimistic about her bird’s recovery.
“He is a fighter and I wholeheartedly believe he is going to make a full recovery. My girlfriend and I researched how to build a sling for an emu, but apparently there are absolutely zero resources for such a thing!”
