Video: Cyclist rides behind sprinting emus

At what point does riding with emus become chasing emus? This Australian off-road cyclist seems to be exploring that question as this video wears on.

The cyclist and emus move along at speeds of up to 40km/h according to the on-screen graphic and then, after about a minute, the emus peel off through the trees.

It isn’t always cyclists bearing down on emus though. In 2016 we reported on two Canberra cyclists who were sent packing by a couple of the birds.

“I stopped to get a photo and this one started running at me, making a thumping noise with its [throat] and extending its neck really high to intimidate me,” wrote Chris Wilson.

“It worked,” he added.

Wilson also emphasised that Aussie cyclists should be respectful and admire the birds from a distance.

“I encroached on its territory to try and get a photo and it reacted like a celebrity getting hounded by the paparazzi. Fair enough too. You can safely watch these birds, just give them a respectful distance.”

Later the same year, a group of cyclists riding on the Taff Trail near Cardiff got a bit of a surprise when they too came across an emu. It is thought that it must have escaped from a nearby farm.