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LONDON - A mystery emu has been shot dead after a cross-border chase by police in Europe this week.
The Australian native fauna was first spotted in the German town of Grenzach-Wyhlen near the Swiss border.
"We are trying to find out how it got here in the first place," a German police spokesman said.
"No bird farms or zoos in the area say they are missing an emu. It is a mystery."
Police tried to capture the emu, but it dashed away, prompting an international operation involving both German and Swiss police.
The police gave chase in parol cars for hours but were no match for the agile fugitive, which darted down narrow alleyways and made tight turns.
Vets and staff from local zoos were called in to help, before the German police called upon their Swiss counterparts.
The emu was clocked at speeds up to 50 km/h, with police resorting to roadblocks, while the vets were unsuccessful in their attempts to sedate the bird with tranquiliser darts.
Finally a group of local hunters were called in, and shot the emu dead.
"Basel is a larger place than Grenzach-Wyhlen, and they had more officers available to help in the hunt for the emu," the German police spokesman said.
"In the end though it was still not enough and we had to shoot the bird."
- AAP
