A quiet country road in Salcombe, Devon became the unlikely stage for a dramatic — and very funny — standoff on September 9, after an emu broke loose from its enclosure and ended up grappling with a man determined to bring it back.
Caught on Camera
James Barker, 46, was driving along the road when he spotted the large flightless bird loose and pulled over to watch. What followed was a man wrestling the emu to the ground in an attempt to restrain it, shouting “Emu down, emu down!” as he tried to keep the bird pinned while calling for help from the farm it had escaped.
“I saw the bird on the road, so I pulled up to let the guy get hold of it — but it was too funny not to try and film,” Barker said.
The Bird Fights Back
The struggle lasted at least 20 seconds before the emu turned the tables. It headbutted the man holding it down with enough force to send him sprawling to the other side of the road — then calmly trotted back through the gate into the property it had escaped from, as though nothing had happened.
Barker said he was laughing throughout, and that the whole scene had an unexpected extra witness: an alpaca watching from inside the farm’s gateway.
“The alpaca standing in the gateway made the scene,” he said. “It was evident the bird was not quite so keen to get back to his home!”
“It’s Not Something You See Every Day”
Barker summed up the encounter simply: “It’s not something you see every day. I had to take a video otherwise people wouldn’t believe me.”
His wife, Ro Barker, shared the footage on social media, where it quickly picked up momentum — racking up more than two million views. One commenter captured the general reaction: “You can’t make that up, this has made my day.” Another wrote: “Only in Salcombe!”
Why Emus Are Harder to Handle Than They Look
Despite their ungainly appearance, emus are the second-tallest living bird in the world and are built for speed and power rather than cooperation. A few reasons incidents like this keep happening:
- They’re fast and strong — capable of sprinting up to 30 mph and delivering forceful kicks or headbutts when cornered
- Enclosures aren’t always emu-proof — a determined or startled bird can push through weak points that would hold back smaller livestock
- Sudden noise or activity spooks them easily — traffic, dogs, or unfamiliar people can trigger a bolt with little warning
- They don’t respond to physical restraint the way domestic animals do — instinctive tactics like tackling or grabbing often provoke a defensive reaction rather than compliance
What This Costs an Owner When It Goes Wrong
Incidents like this aren’t just funny — they carry real financial risk for the owner, which is worth understanding if you keep livestock or exotic birds.
Fencing: Standard livestock fencing often isn’t rated for emus. Heavy-duty woven wire or field fencing at 5-6 feet, properly braced, typically runs higher per foot than basic paddock fencing — but it’s the single most effective way to prevent an escape like this one from happening again.
Liability: If a loose animal causes a road accident, property damage, or injures someone — as nearly happened here — the owner can be held financially liable. This is exactly the kind of risk farm or smallholding liability insurance is designed to cover, and many general home policies don’t include livestock or exotic animals by default.
Veterinary and recovery costs: A stressed, cornered animal can injure itself during a chase or takedown. Owners of unusual pets like emus often find that mainstream pet insurance doesn’t cover exotic or farm species, which has pushed a growing market of specialist exotic-animal insurance providers to fill that gap.
For anyone keeping large or unconventional animals, it’s worth budgeting for secure fencing and checking whether an existing insurance policy actually covers escape-related liability — rather than finding out the hard way, as this Devon farm nearly did.
How Owners Can Prevent an Escape Like This
- Fence height and strength — a minimum of 5-6 feet of sturdy, well-anchored fencing is generally recommended for emus specifically
- Reduce sudden stimuli near enclosures — loud machinery, unfamiliar dogs, or fireworks near pens are common triggers for panic-driven escapes
- Regular fence inspections, especially after storms or heavy wind, since a single weak point is often all it takes
- Working with an experienced handler rather than relying on ad hoc restraint if an escape does happen, since untrained wrangling attempts — like the one caught on camera here — often end with the human losing the encounter
Similar Incidents Around the UK
This isn’t the first time a loose emu has caused a stir on British roads. Escaped emus have previously been reported wandering into towns in Essex, Yorkshire, and Somerset, often drawing crowds, police involvement, and — as in this case — plenty of laughs once the bird was safely back home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are emus dangerous to humans?
They’re not typically aggressive without provocation, but their legs are powerful enough to cause real injury with a kick, and a startled or cornered bird may lash out defensively, as this headbutt shows.
What should you do if you see a loose farm animal like an emu?
Experts generally recommend not approaching or attempting to restrain it yourself. Keep a safe distance, alert the owner or local animal control, and let trained handlers manage the capture.
Does home insurance cover damage caused by an escaped farm animal?
Usually not by default — standard home or car insurance often excludes livestock-related incidents, which is why specialist smallholding or farm liability cover exists for owners of animals like emus, alpacas, or rheas.
Can emus be kept as pets in the UK?
Yes — emus are legally kept by private owners and hobby farms across the UK, though they require large, secure enclosures and specialized care given their size and strength.
Why did this video go viral?
The combination of a genuinely funny, unexpected twist — the “captor” becoming the target — plus a deadpan alpaca witness and a memorable shouted catchphrase gave it broad, easily shareable appeal.
Sources: Brit Brief and Head Topics UK, both citing eyewitness James Barker and the video shared by Ro Barker.
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