Jolly rogering still way off for Edward

ALYSSA BETTS
September 23rd, 2009

A LOVE match for the Territory's horny but hopelessly single emu could finally be on the cards.

But Edward the emu's road to a jolly rogering is still not very smooth - he has a 20-month wait for his six-week-old potential girlfriend to mature. And even then she might not be sexy enough to bother with.

Tired owner Petrena Ariston, 57, of Katherine has just brought home two young emu chicks from Lew Farkas of Wycliffe Well - the Territory's pre-eminent authority on UFO spottings.

One is called Edwina - she's the promised mate. The other, a boy, is called Dinner - and appears destined for an altogether different experience come Christmas.

Their arrival caps off Ms Ariston's five-month search for a mate for her woebegone wooer, after he began eyeing her off and trying to round her up in his paddock.

"He was quite aggressive and I got a bit concerned," she said.

"I shouted out to my husband to come over because I didn't know what was wrong with the bird."

Edward proceeded to lie in hope on an empty nest for seven weeks.

Ms Ariston had two plans fall through since putting out a public call for help in May. First a scheme to relocate a female from a farm about 800km away didn't work out. And eggs sent from an emu farm in the south coast of NSW didn't hatch.

By the time they arrived, Edward had lost his broodiness - and efforts to artificially incubate them failed.

Ms Ariston is crossing fingers that sparks fly when Edwina matures, because emus can apparently be a bit picky about partners.

"I'm hoping they'll find that instant attraction and live happily ever after," she said. "Let's hope she turns out attractive. We'll preen her up and make sure she looks good."

Ms Ariston is aware Edward may pay her attentions again next season, while Edwina is still too young.

"(But) as long as you don't let him get around behind you and squat, you're fine."

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/09/23/86901_ntnews.html