Is Emmanuel the emu OK? Internet’s beloved bird fights for life after deadly flu hits Florida farm

SOUTH FLORIDA: In the midst of a deadly outbreak of bird flu that has killed most of the farm’s birds, Emmanuel is the emu, the bird that took social media by storm earlier this year after video bombing its owner’s videos while she Videos recorded about farming fights for his life. Emmanuel’s owner, Taylor Blake, revealed his serious condition on Saturday October 15, three months after the pair rose to fame on TikTok.

ADVERTISEMENT

Daily Mail reported that the bird suffers from nerve damage and is unable to eat or drink on its own after contracting the disease, according to Blake, whose family owns Knuckle Bump Farms in South Florida. Blake blamed the outbreak on wild geese, which regularly invade the farm at night.

ADVERTISEMENT

CONTINUE READING

How dangerous is the H3N8 bird flu? China sees first human infection in 4-year-old

“Godspeed Eclipse”: Seattle’s beloved Labrador, who took the bus to the dog park ALONE every day, dies of cancer

ADVERTISEMENT

The farmer claimed that to save her feathered friend, she hand-feeds him all his food, sleeps less than an hour each day, and gives him 24-hour subcutaneous fluids every two hours. She went on to say that she spoke to Florida officials who claimed to have informed her that the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which left standing pools of water late last month, also sparked the outbreak and “made the virus widespread.” .

ADVERTISEMENT

In just three days, the sudden spread nearly wiped out the 29-year-old content creator’s stable of more than 50 birds, leaving only the lovable Emmanuel and his stablemate Rico the swan. Standing about 5ft 8, 120 pounds, the emu has a “long road” to recovery, according to Blake, but the charismatic animal is a “fighter” despite his condition temporarily incapacitating him to walk.

ADVERTISEMENT

Blake tweeted to her 893.7k followers: “I lost Emily, Eliza and Elliot. The virus hit her extremely hard and very quickly. I tried my best to save her but I was unsuccessful. We lost every single chicken and duck on our farm. We lost all our geese. We lost our 2 female black swans. We lost our two turkeys.” She also revealed, “We lost more than 50 birds in 3 days. I’m still trying to take care of it. We thought we were out of the woods when Emmanuel went down unexpectedly last Wednesday …”

ADVERTISEMENT

The post was accompanied by a tear-stained image of Emmanuel, looking lethargic, and Blake tenderly nuzzling his head against hers as the once-active animal lay down on the farm floor. She said, “I get about 4 hours of sleep in 4 days because all I care about is saving him,” the farmer added in another post, which showed photos of her and family members working on the bird – those in the Wait a minute Blake said stay steady. He is currently stable. His neurological symptoms have subsided, but he still won’t eat or drink on his own,” she said, adding, “I hand-feed him and give him subcutaneous fluids every 2 hours by the watch.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Blake claimed she believes waterfowl, such as Egyptian wild geese, which often enter the family farm “under cover of darkness,” were responsible for the outbreak at the farm. She insists they infected the local birds, thereby spreading the disease.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The virus hit her extremely hard and very quickly,” Blake wrote on Twitter of the loss of her family, which resulted in the death of “every single” hen, duck, goose, swan and turkey farmer that the spread may have been water-assisted that Hurricane Ian spread across the state.

The virus, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), has so far forced poultry farmers in 36 US states to cull flocks and shut down operations, and a resurgence of cases in September threatens even more disruption. The virus has a 50% fatality rate in humans when spread.

ADVERTISEMENT

Millions of people have seen Emmanuel’s videos on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter, and the bird has recently become a viral sensation. After learning of the bird’s condition, support from around the world flocked to social media, sending prayers for his speedy recovery. One user tweeted: “I can’t imagine the toll this is taking on you. Please remember to take care of yourself as well as Emmanuel Todd Lopez and everyone else.” Another user said, “Our prayers are with you. Her legacy has been cemented in my classroom. People of all ages around the world are in your corner. Good vibes on this trip. “Oh my god so devastated for you and your loss, remember they had their best life with you and they will always have a special place in your heart. Get well soon Emmanuel! Sending all our love and Healing.” I’m sorry. You and Emmanuel Todd Lopez brought me so much joy when I was down myself. We are all committed to ensuring that he makes a speedy and full recovery. Best wishes from us.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Blake has updated the internet starbird’s condition and recovery on social media in a series of posts. In the photos you can see the servants and animal keepers with a self-made noose caring for the bird. Blake claimed that she is “dedicated” to making sure Emmanuel recovers from the condition and that the device allows the bird to “start physical therapy.”

ADVERTISEMENT

One therapist and an avid follower of Emmanuel’s posts wrote on Twitter: “Therapist here; skilled with the gear and your sling looks fantastic! Up and down massage and diet…he’s a fighter!”

ADVERTISEMENT

In a recent post, Blake shared a happy update about Emmanuel drinking water himself. In the video, the bird can be seen lying on the sling, bending slightly to sip water from the bucket in front of it. She wrote: “EMMANUEL HAS DRINK ONLY WATER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ILLNESS. Please keep the prayers up!”

The joyful bird with viral fame is currently causing emotions. One user, an animal rescuer, who became emotional upon seeing his posts, tweeted: “Oh my god I’ve never cried so much over a twitter post. I’m an animal rescuer, so I know the feeling – but I wish I knew more about birds right now. You are beautiful and I will light a candle and say a prayer for you and all. I am so sorry for your losses.

ADVERTISEMENT

Blake also shared a touching picture of her snuggling up to the Australian endemic bird on the floor of her family’s barn, kissing it as he looked at her lovingly. “I love you so much Emmanuel,” she wrote in the post.

This article contains comments made by individuals and organizations on the Internet. MEAWW cannot independently verify them and does not endorse any claims or opinions made online.