ACT rangers have spent the past two days looking for an emu that was shot with an arrow.
A member of the public called Access Canberra yesterday afternoon after they spotted the injured emu with an arrow hanging out of its back near the Cotter River.
Ranger in charge of the Murrumbidgee corridor James Overall said they had spent the past 24 hours looking for the native animal.
"The emu was in a bit of distress and walking quite uncomfortably and struggling to run so it suggested that it was possibly quite fresh," Mr Overall told ABC Radio Canberra.
Mr Overall spoke to the person who reported the incident and is certain the image he received is not a hoax.
"Our native wildlife are able to cope with an amazing array of things that, unfortunately, in this case, was an arrow," he said.
Rangers are concerned the emu may be tucked away in bush, as they are known to hide when they are injured.
"We've got a reasonably good idea of where it's likely to be, and we've already seen 12 out there this morning so they're out and about," he said.
"It's just about finding this one in particular before it's too late."
Ranger recalls witnessing arrows in other native animals
The rangers have dealt with a number of illegal hunting incidents in recent years, including kangaroos that had been shot with arrows, according to Mr Overall.
"People will go out after dark and do these sorts of horrendous things," Mr Overall said.
"It's pretty hard personally, we're pretty committed to our jobs and seeing the environment thrive."
ACT Policing are also investigating the incident and anyone with information should contact police, crime stoppers or the rangers directly.
