Police investigate how an Emu ended up getting run over on a Canary Islands motorway
An unusual incident has shocked residents of Gran Canaria after an emu, one of the world’s largest species of bird, was found wandering on a motorway before being fatally struck by a car.
The Canarian Police have launched an investigation to determine how the animal, native to Australia and the third-largest bird in the world, came to be on the GC-3 motorway near Siete Palmas.
The accident occurred when the emu ran onto the road and was hit by a passing vehicle. The collision caused damage to the car, but the driver escaped uninjured. Unfortunately, the emu was killed.
Emergency services quickly responded, including officers from the Environmental Unit (GRUMA) of the Canarian Police, road maintenance crews from the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, and medical personnel, who secured the area and checked on the driver’s condition.
The Traffic Division of the Guardia Civil later took charge of the accident report, while the animal collection service from the Las Palmas City Council removed the emu’s body to allow traffic to return to normal.
As part of the investigation, GRUMA officers carried out several procedures, including identifying the driver, assessing the damage, and scanning the animal’s microchip, which revealed the owner’s identity.
Police are now working to verify the emu’s legal ownership and ensure the facilities where it was kept meet all safety and exotic species regulations.
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