Emu rescued after wandering onto busy Florida toll road

An emu caused an unusual traffic situation after wandering onto a busy Central Florida toll road.

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Florida Highway Patrol troopers responded to State Road 570, also known as Polk Parkway, near mile marker 16 in Polk County after receiving a report of an emu walking along the highway.

Troopers corralled the large, flightless Australian bird into the back of a Road Ranger vehicle, where it remained until its owners arrived and recovered it.

No injuries were reported.

And, as FHP spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins noted, “No insurance policies were sold by LiMu,” a reference to the emu featured in Liberty Mutual commercials.

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Wade Tatangelo is the executive editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida dining and entertainment editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Emu rescued after wandering onto busy Florida toll road

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Reporting by Wade Tatangelo, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / The Ledger

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published September 19, 2026 at 11:32 AM.