The King Island Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae ater) is an extinct subspecies of Emu that was endemic to King Island, which is situated in the Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania. Its closest relative may be the extinct Tasmanian Emu, as they belonged to a single population until less than 14,000 years ago, when Tasmania and King Island were still connected. The small size of the King Island Emu may be an example of insular dwarfism. The King Island Emu was the smallest of all emus, and had darker plumage colouration than the mainland Emu. It was black and brown, and had naked blue skin on the neck, although in common with mainland Emus its chicks were striped. They were distinct from the Kangaroo Island Emu in a number of osteological details, including size. The behaviour