Authorities chase a loose emu around a stretch of interstate in New Mexico. Screenshot: Alyssa Ilano/Facebook

May 12 (UPI) -- Authorities in New Mexico were caught on camera chasing a stray emu through stopped interstate traffic after the bird eluded them for three days.

Alyssa Ilano posted a video to Facebook showing the Tuesday chase through Interstate 10 in Las Cruces, as uniformed members of the Mesilla Marshals Department, City of Las Cruces Codes Enforcement and Dona Ana County Codes Enforcement pursued the emu.


The video shows one of the officers knock the bird to the ground with a restraining pole, but the emu gets up and flees again before its pursuers can lasso it.

Dona Ana Sheriff's Office spokesperson Kelly Jameson said a pair of truckers stopped traffic for the safety of the officers and the emu during the chase.

Jameson said the officers were eventually able to capture the emu with help from New Mexico State University Animal and Range Sciences employees.

The spokesperson said authorities had been receiving reports of an emu on the loose for about three days before the capture.

Jameson confirmed the emu led officers on a chase through city streets, jumped a fence, and ran through irrigation canals before the stand-off on the interstate.

The sheriff's office said the emu's owner has not yet been identified.