East Coast conservationist rescues emu chicks after feral cat attack

An East Coast conservationist has become a surrogate dad to a couple of emu chicks, rescuing them after a feral cat attacked their nest.

Ruatoria man Graeme Atkins took the chicks in after inadvertently scaring away their real father.

"I was down the beach collecting firewood for a birthday celebration and scared the dad off the nest," he told Checkpoint..

"It was a bit of a bummer that that happened," he said, explaining that male emus look after the eggs and raise the chicks.

After a restless night spent worrying about the birds, he returned to the nest and saw a feral cat had attacked.

"Out of the five chicks I saw the day before only two were left," he said.

So he took action, taking them in despite "a little bit of trepidation about what we were getting into".

Raising them was similar to raising puppies, he said, as the chicks squeaked beside him.

"We've got so much advice from people who know emus.

"They're pretty endearing as a pet, they grow on you," he said.

The chicks are three weeks old now, and spend their days following Atkins around. He has created a warm home for them in a fenced-in enclosure outside his house.

"Because it's been so cold I put them inside a box that's got wool matting, and then some dry grass."

They have quickly made themselves at home - and developed a taste for some of the rare plants on Atkins' property.

"In six months they could be up to five feet tall," he said.

As they grow, he would consider his next steps, including whether to return the chicks to the wild.