A nine-year-old boy with autism has discovered the meaning of love through the experience of hatching emus. Zak, from Bicester, eagerly took on the challenge of incubating and hatching the birds after a local farmer expressed interest in adding emus to his farm.
The emus, named Nip and Pip, now reside on the Buckinghamshire farm with their owner, Charlie Taylor. Zak shared that the process of raising the emus has given him a profound understanding of parenthood. “They have shown me what love really is and what it means to be a parent,” Zak said. “You’d do anything for your children, no matter the cost.”
Zak’s mother, Claire, noted that the bond between her son and the emus is mutual. “The emus have imprinted on him,” she explained. “When the eggs were still incubating, they began to rock gently whenever Zak would whistle.”
Claire noted that Zak’s deep engagement with his “special interests,” a result of his autism, has been a driving force. She explained that while Zak struggled in school, he has gained significant knowledge through his emu-hatching experience.
“We’ve covered a lot of ground,” she said. “From math—measuring temperature and humidity—to tracking changes in the eggs’ weight. We’ve also explored the legal aspects, the science behind egg development, and even studied Australia, the emus’ native land.
Zak has absorbed so much through this experience over the past few months.”