Emu Gets Loose On 422, Wreaks Havoc On Traffic

ROYERSFORD, PA — The coronavirus shutdowns have lent a sense of eerieness to local communities as businesses have shuttered, offices and schools have emptied, and large parts of society have ground to a halt amid the pandemic.

Seemingly taking advantage of the prevailing sense of entropy the world around, a very large bird, possibly an emu, was seen Wednesday by motorists on Route 422 trotting inexplicably alongside traffic.

The bird was first spotted around 2 p.m. near the Royersford exit, according to KYW. The bird, and pursuit of the bird by the Pennsylvania State Police, led to heavy traffic in both directions.

Pennsylvania State Police the next day confirmed they shot and killed the emu. The bird had escaped from an enclosure nearby earlier that morning and according to officers, presented a "significant hazard" to motorists on the road.

Videos from the scene by NBC 10 Philadelphia showed authorities attempting to surround the bird, which was on the median of the road.

The event had the feeling of a legend in the making, reminiscent of the now-folk-hero camel named Einstein who was spotted trotting trotting alongside highway traffic in the midst of an unexpected snowstorm in November 2018.

And as "Lord of the Rings" readers once scrawled "Frodo Lives" on subway walls, the emu instantly embedded itself into the heart of the local community:

Emus are among the largest birds in the world and are native to Australia.

The origins of the emu and the nature of its business on the local highway remain a mystery.

UPDATE: State Police Shoot And Kill Emu On Rt. 422