Bizarre cause of death for Missouri emu called Adam who died during ferocious storm

Published: 16:44, 29 April 2026 | Updated: 16:46, 29 April 2026 An emu was killed after softball-sized pieces of ice rained down during a devastating hailstorm in Missouri. Adam, a female emu at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, was pelted to death on Tuesday after the storm hit around 11am, zoo spokeswoman Joey Powell told the Daily Mail. The 21-year-old emu was the only animal killed, but a male rhea was injured as well. A rhea resembles an ostrich but is smaller and flightless.  Powell said the zoo suffered severe damage to vehicles and roofs, and that anything made of glass was destroyed.  Thankfully, the rest of the animals were safe, but the zoo remained closed on Wednesday. Several reports estimated the hail to be between 3 and 5 inches in size. A meteorologist in Springfield measured 4-inch hail, according to USA Today.  The average softball has an approximate diameter of 3.82 inches. ‘Tuesday’s hailstorm is the worst in modern records for both Springfield, MO, and Greene County, MO,’ meteorologist Brandon Beck posted to Facebook. ‘It had the largest measured hail stone (up to 5 inches) and will easily be the costliest.’ Adam, a female emu at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri, died on Tuesday The 21-year-old emu (pictured) was the only animal killed, but a male rhea was injured as well Several reports estimated the hail to be between 3 and 5 inches in size. In comparison, a softball has an approximate circumference of 3.82 inches ‘Giant Hail,' or hail larger than 2.75 inches in diameter, is considered ‘an extreme threat to life and property from severe hail,' according to The National Weather Service.  Additionally, multiple social media posts showed cars in Greene County with broken windshields and massive roof dents. There were also reports that gas readers were damaged. Officials warned the public that if they smell gas, they should immediately leave the area, according to USA Today. Unfortunately, more than 10,000 City Utilities customers lost power after the storm. However, within two hours, about 6,000 had their energy restored. Dickerson Park Zoo announced that the emu died on Tuesday, prompting many to share their condolences. ‘So sorry to hear about the loss of the beloved emu. Thankful for every worker and volunteer who worked hard to save the animals in the weather that was worse than expected,’ one person wrote. Dickerson Zoo spokeswoman, Joey Powell told the Daily Mail that the zoo suffered severe damage to vehicles and roofs, and that anything that was made of glass was destroyed The zoo announced on Tuesday that the rest of the animals were safe, but the zoo remained closed on Wednesday ‘I know what big hearts your team has and all the lives you touch. From the keepers and vets and staff who work so hard to keep a beautiful facility that way to the volunteers and interns who show up to learn and help, my condolences to each of you.’ ‘I am so sorry for the loss of precious Adam and for the damage at the zoo. The weather is getting scarier every day. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you who take care of the beautiful animals,’ another added. ‘So sorry! The storm got severe so fast, I know you all did as much as you could to keep the animals safe. Getting animals moved quickly can be very challenging, especially when they already sense bad weather coming. Prayers,’ a third said. Powell noted that the injured rhea is still under veterinary care.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.