tldr After World War I, Australian veterans were encouraged to take up farming in Western Australia. During a dry season, tens of thousands of emus migrated fr

tldr After World War I, Australian veterans were encouraged to take up farming in Western Australia. During a dry season, tens of thousands of emus migrated from the inland areas to the coast in search of food and water, devastating crops and making life difficult for farmers. The government responded by sending soldiers armed with machine guns to combat the emus. Led by Major G.P.W. Meredith, the operation was meant to cull the emu population and protect the crops. However, the emus proved to be extremely hard to control. They were fast, could move in large groups, and seemed to have a knack for dispersing just before the soldiers could get a good shot. The soldiers faced a series of challenges: the emus were not only agile but also difficult to take down. Many rounds of ammunition were used, but the actual number of emus killed was minimal compared to the original goal. After weeks of repeated attempts, the campaign was eventually abandoned.