UNIQUE
cassowary
T
he threatened Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius
johnsonii) has roamed the World Heritage Wet Tropics
rainforests since time immemorial. The Wet Tropics stretches
in part from just north of Townsville to Cooktown and
includes the Great Dividing Range. All along its length,
cassowary habitat is being encroached upon by rural
and suburban development. The major focus of Kuranda
Conservation along with other conservation groups in the
region is research into the habits, range, foods, parenting and
wellbeing of cassowaries. To support this, the group nurtures
a 10,000 plant nursery, specialising in cassowary food trees
with the aim of encouraging landholders to plant local native
vegetation for all local wildlife.
Photo: Steven Nowakowski
The female cassowary, the larger of the two, ranges over an
area of roughly ten square kilometres and visits the males
whose territories intersect with hers. The male has a more
compact range and awaits visitations. It is the male parent
cassowary who incubates the female eggs and raises the
offspring. During the mating months, the female may mate
with a number of male friends and leave them with some
eggs, laid over several visits. She may choose to stick around
with only one male during that time. A nest is where the eggs
are laid, maybe a shallow hollow on bare ground. The male
bird incubates the eggs, anywhere from four to ten, over
some 50 days, rarely leaving them. After they hatch, he shows
them what being a cassowary means; what to eat, where to
find food and water and how to behave. Like all youngsters,
they frolic and get into all sorts of strife. It’s a hazardous time
for them which they may not survive. The chicks take about
nine months to reach sub-adulthood and can hopefully find
their own way around. At this time the next mating cycle may
start and the father will send the young birds off to find their
own new habitat. This can be a very unsettling period.
During a cassowary year they disappear for several months.
Few sightings are reported. Where do they go? Do they
survive? Are they moving into intact habitat or not? Is it a
lean time for them? Has it got something to do with the
season? These many questions are the subject of research,
the answers to which will assist in making decisions about
how land is developed for human purposes ensuring we
leave enough habitat for these animals and all wildlife to
survive and thrive.
What’s On Tablelands wish to remind drivers and visitors to
always take care when travelling throughout the Wet Tropics
to ensure the protection and longevity of the magnificent
cassowary. Be careful when driving and slow down.
Sick, injured or orphaned cassowaries should be reported
to the QLD Department of Environmental Heritage and
Protection on 1300 130 372.
by Kuranda Conservation
www. kurandaconservation.org
14 What’s On & Where To Go February 2018