Emu crossing ahead: the fight to save the coastal emus of northern NSW

Clarence Valley locals are working to prevent the endangered birds - of which there are just 50 in the wild - from ending up as roadkillThis year's Guardian/BirdLife Australia bird of the year poll runs from 25 September to 6 October. Nominate your favourite for the shortlistSign up for the Rural Network email newsletterJoin the Rural Network group on Facebook to be part of the communityStand quietly in the scrub of the Clarence Valley, on the north coast of New South Wales, and you may see them: a tall male emu, with his bright blue neck and careful feet, escorting three chicks.The chicks, their small bodies striped like humbugs, are a sign of hope. While national emu numbers are stable, this family belongs to a small endangered population of coastal emus. There are fewer than 50 left in the wild.Sign up to receive Guardian Australia's fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter Continue reading...