Attempts to secure an interview and photo with the owner of an emu loose in Green Island on Tuesday night failed to get off the ground.
Inquiries from the Otago Daily Times yesterday eventually located the lifestyle block home to at least one of the flightless birds.
But repeated requests for comment were rejected as ''community gossip'', by a woman at the property.
''We don't want any stories,'' she added.
Dunedin man Logan Walden (25) saw the large bird, endemic to Australia, standing near his home in Church St, Green Island, about 5pm on Tuesday.
''It was absolutely massive ... It was just enormous,'' he said at the time.
A video of the disoriented bird proved popular on social media, attracting 16,000 views and hundreds of comments by yesterday evening.
Dunedin City Council animal services team leader Peter Hanlin said it was called to help capture the emu, but the owner arrived shortly after and wrangled the long-necked bird.
The DCC had the power to impound wandering stock, but its general approach was to allow the owner to reclaim their animal if they did so promptly, he said.
''That was the case in this instance and at this stage we don't intend to take any further action other than to reflect on one of our more unusual callouts.''
Emus are the second-largest living bird by height, behind ostriches. They are farmed for their meat, oil and leather, and their feathers can also be used for making korowai (Maori cloaks).
The incident comes after a ''monster'' turkey was reported to be roaming St Clair and chasing people near the Jacobs Ladder steps.
