What is it about wandering emus and Central PA?

From the Centre Daily Times (again):

Police shoot and kill wandering emu in central Pa.

- The Associated Press

April 21, 2011 5:48pm EDT

MANHEIM, Pa. — Police in central Pennsylvania have shot a stray emu that had been wandering around for days and eventually headed into a residential area.
 

The large, flightless bird had been criss-crossing the Penn Township and Manheim areas for more than a week. Police say that initially it was mostly in the countryside, so they weren't concerned about it bothering people with its sharp claws.

But the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reports police decided to shoot it Tuesday after it wandered into a residential area and children were chasing it near a school.

Penn Township police Chief Larry Snavely says authorities shot the animal to protect residents from getting hurt.

He says the emu's carcass has been donated to a wolf sanctuary.

Does your state have a porcupine hunting season?

From the Centre Daily Times this week:

Pa. porcupines picked by state for hunting

The Associated Press

April 12, 2011 6:55pm EDT

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Gaming Commission says pesky porcupines can be hunted, giving its approval for a nearly six-month hunting season.

Commissioners approved the proposal Tuesday but favored a hunting season from Sept. 1 to March 31 instead of the initial year-long season.

According to the agreement, the daily limit is just six of the small, slow-moving, razo[sic]-sharp rodents and hunters who go after them can use any legal sporting arm to kill them.

Porcuplines were a protected species in the state, but residents had been allowed to kill them if they were causing damage to property. The rodents can cause problems because they're attracted to wood and salt, sometimes damaging homes or even chewing through brake lines.