Cassowary
The Cassowary is a big, flightless bird from Australia and New Guinea. The cassowary's life span is about 40-50 years. Their scientific name is Casuarius. This colourful bird species is one of the most recognisable icons of the Wet Tropics. Cassowaries evolution began in a region of the supercontinent, Gondwana, that later dispersed and became Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and some of the eastern island groups of Indonesia. Three types of cassowaries are found in Papua New Guinea but it was only the southern cassowary that lives in Australia. Two independent populations of cassowary can be see at - one in the Wet Tropics between Mt Halifax/Palumaand Cooktown, and the other in the Shelburne Bay area and eastern Cape York Peninsula (McIlwraith and Iron Ranges from Temple Bay to Massey River, and possibly into Princess Charlotte Bay).
Description
Its height averages around 1.5 metres and has long dark grey in colour legs with claws that can grow up to 12 cm. The Cassowaries have long, glossy black feathers, which are coarse and hair-like. Their feathers are not similar to other birds as they have a quill that splits in two and lack the barbules that normally hold birds' feathers together from the neck. On the neck, two long red 'wattles' hang down. The reason for the Cassowaries recognisable casque (helmet), is unknown yet unique to every individual, but recent research suggests that can aid cassowaries to sense the low vibrating sound created by other cassowaries over long distances. This unusual sense, called infrasound, was actually used by some dinosaurs, and is also shared by a few modern animals, including cassowaries and elephants.
Its height averages around 1.5 metres and has long dark grey in colour legs with claws that can grow up to 12 cm. The Cassowaries have long, glossy black feathers, which are coarse and hair-like. Their feathers are not similar to other birds as they have a quill that splits in two and lack the barbules that normally hold birds' feathers together from the neck. On the neck, two long red 'wattles' hang down. The reason for the Cassowaries recognisable casque (helmet), is unknown yet unique to every individual, but recent research suggests that can aid cassowaries to sense the low vibrating sound created by other cassowaries over long distances. This unusual sense, called infrasound, was actually used by some dinosaurs, and is also shared by a few modern animals, including cassowaries and elephants.
Habitat
This huge bird tend to live in rainforests and swampy forests. Tropical rainforests of north east Queensland, Papua New Guinea and Seram and Aru islands. Also found in melaleuca swamps, mangrove forests, and sometimes grassland, savanna and palm forest not far from rainforest vegetation.
This huge bird tend to live in rainforests and swampy forests. Tropical rainforests of north east Queensland, Papua New Guinea and Seram and Aru islands. Also found in melaleuca swamps, mangrove forests, and sometimes grassland, savanna and palm forest not far from rainforest vegetation.
Diet
Cassowaries mainly eat fruit and seeds that are on low branches or on the ground. Their most favourite meal is the Cassowary Plum. The seeds pass through their bodies, and so the cassowary has an important role in the rainforest to increase and enlarge the number of seeds of rainforest plants. The Cassowary Plum is also very poisonous, only the Cassowary is able to digest and filter the poison so that they won't be affected. They also eat small mammals and birds they find dead. It also eats fungi, insects, frogs, snakes and other small animals.
Cassowaries mainly eat fruit and seeds that are on low branches or on the ground. Their most favourite meal is the Cassowary Plum. The seeds pass through their bodies, and so the cassowary has an important role in the rainforest to increase and enlarge the number of seeds of rainforest plants. The Cassowary Plum is also very poisonous, only the Cassowary is able to digest and filter the poison so that they won't be affected. They also eat small mammals and birds they find dead. It also eats fungi, insects, frogs, snakes and other small animals.
Reproduction
Cassowaries would normally breed from June to October. At that time, the Cassowaries eat fruit and seeds. The seeds pass through their bodies, and so the cassowary plays an important part in spreading seeds of rainforest plants. They also eat small mammals and birds they find deadefemale would lay about 4 eggs, pale green eggs in every clutch (a set of eggs laid at one time). Each of these egg’s sizes are around 3.5 by 5.5 inches. The only eggs bigger are only the ostrich and emu eggs. Only the male incubates (keeps warm) the eggs for 2 months, then cares for the brown-striped chicks for 9 months, teaching them to survive in the area they live in. The female does not care for the eggs or the chicks at all.
Cassowaries would normally breed from June to October. At that time, the Cassowaries eat fruit and seeds. The seeds pass through their bodies, and so the cassowary plays an important part in spreading seeds of rainforest plants. They also eat small mammals and birds they find deadefemale would lay about 4 eggs, pale green eggs in every clutch (a set of eggs laid at one time). Each of these egg’s sizes are around 3.5 by 5.5 inches. The only eggs bigger are only the ostrich and emu eggs. Only the male incubates (keeps warm) the eggs for 2 months, then cares for the brown-striped chicks for 9 months, teaching them to survive in the area they live in. The female does not care for the eggs or the chicks at all.
Conservation
They are endangered mainly due to loss of habitat. There may be as few as 1500 left in the wild. Much of the rainforest where they live has been cleared due to deforestation. Since their land is being cleared so much, their space to eat is beginning to decrease. As their main food is from the seeds that they need to spread across the rainforest yet their space is being confined. Tourism has also caused the Cassowaries to be more endangered due to the cars that hit the cassowaries on the roads and the dogs that are brought by the tourists to see these spectacular animals. Yet the dogs may attack and kill these precious birds. Cyclones are also increasing the number of death of the Cassowaries.
They are endangered mainly due to loss of habitat. There may be as few as 1500 left in the wild. Much of the rainforest where they live has been cleared due to deforestation. Since their land is being cleared so much, their space to eat is beginning to decrease. As their main food is from the seeds that they need to spread across the rainforest yet their space is being confined. Tourism has also caused the Cassowaries to be more endangered due to the cars that hit the cassowaries on the roads and the dogs that are brought by the tourists to see these spectacular animals. Yet the dogs may attack and kill these precious birds. Cyclones are also increasing the number of death of the Cassowaries.