‘Emus Have Been Banned’

Two emus – siblings Kevin and Carol — are now banned from a hotel in a tiny town in Australia’s vast Outback. Raised by an animal rescuer, the birds are usually a friendly and wide-eyed source of entertainment. But then the emus learned to climb the stairs.

The new skill gave the birds access to the pub of the Yaraka Hotel in Queensland. Once inside, they unleashed a long-legged brand of chaos. They snatched toast and French fries away from customers. One of the birds even went behind the bar. A stern response was required.

“Emus have been banned from this establishment for bad behavior,” a sign now says at the stairs leading to the hotel’s pub. The message asks any human visitors to replace the “emu barrier” when they enter.

“We put the sign up, but we’re not quite sure whether they’re able to read or not,” hotel co-owner Gerry Gimblett said in an interview with 10 News First Queensland. “So, we’ve had to put a bar across there, as well.”