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Australia emu video investigated for 'horrific cruelty' Australia emu video: Man arrested over 'horrific cruelty'
(about 7 hours later)
Animal welfare authorities in Australia are investigating a video which appears to show a motorist deliberately running over several emus. An Australian man has been arrested over a video that allegedly showed him deliberately driving his car into several emus.
The footage has drawn widespread anger after being shared online. Authorities are treating the footage as authentic. The footage caused outrage after surfacing online earlier this week. It prompted a nationwide effort to find the perpetrator.
In the video, the male driver is heard cheering as he strikes the birds on a dirt road with his car. On Friday, police in Victoria said a 20-year-old man faced several charges of animal cruelty.
Authorities have appealed for information, describing it as apparent evidence of "horrific cruelty". Animal welfare authorities condemned the incident as "horrific".
"[We] unequivocally condemn this type of behaviour, as it clearly shows a disregard for the lives of vulnerable native animals," the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said in a statement. In the video, the driver is heard cheering as he strikes the birds on a dirt road with his car.
The unidentified motorist's face can be seen in the 41-second video. His voice is also heard.
"This is great - I've got that one too, and that one," he says."This is great - I've got that one too, and that one," he says.
The RSPCA has not yet determined where or when the incident took place. On Friday, they said they were examining a lead in South Australia. Police said the footage, which shows the driver's face, was filmed in Cowangie, a town about 500km (300 miles) north-west of Melbourne.
Under South Australian law, people convicted of animal cruelty can face up to four years in jail and a fine of A$50,000 (£27,000; $36,000). The RSPCA said: "[We] unequivocally condemn this type of behaviour, as it clearly shows a disregard for the lives of vulnerable native animals."
Under Victorian law, people convicted of animal cruelty face up to two years in jail and a fine of A$74,620 (£41,000; $54,000).
The man will face a court hearing in November.