Cassowaries a cause for celebration on World Cassowary Day

The southern cassowary – a beautiful flightless consumer of native fruit and builder of rainforests – is being celebrated on the fifth World Cassowary Day.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the day highlights the important ecological role of the southern cassowary in our northern tropical rainforests, and the threats the species face.

“As forest gardeners dispersing hundreds of seeds across their tropical habitat, the southern cassowary is important to the survival of our north-east Queensland rainforests,” Ms Enoch said.

“It is vital we conserve this threatened species and their habitat as they are crucial to the wellbeing of one of the oldest and most complex rainforest ecosystems on Earth.

“The Palaszczuk Government proudly works with local communities and not-for-profit organisations to successfully rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned or injured cassowaries back into the wild.

“Over the past five years the Department of Environment and Science (DES) has responded to 767 cassowary reports, and in the past 12 months five cassowaries have been successfully rescued, cared for and released.

Another recent success story is that of an abandoned three-day-old chick that was placed with an orphaned emu chick as a companion at the Garners Beach Cassowary Rehabilitation Facility.

“After undertaking this intra-species companion animal trial last year, we are proud to confirm that both emu and cassowary have grown, matured, and are doing well,” Ms Enoch said.

“The emu was released to a wildlife park in April this year, where he bonded with other emus, and the cassowary chick has moved to a 40-acre pre-release enclosure to learn key life skills before release back into the wild.”

Ms Enoch said a number of factors posed threats to southern cassowary populations.

“Like most wildlife, cassowaries move through the rainforest in search of food, and will cross a road if it passes through their habitat,” she said.

“This makes them vulnerable to vehicle strike, particularly in areas like Mission Beach and Garners Beach where dense vegetation grows close to the roadside.

“The best way drivers can help reduce the threat of vehicle strike is to slow down and keep an eye out when in cassowary territory.

“We also urge anyone who spots sick, injured or orphaned cassowaries to report these sightings to DES on 1300 130 372.”

More information on cassowaries, including how Queenslanders can help protect these beautiful birds, is available via the DES website.

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