The Southern Cassowary Of The Daintree
The Daintree is a critical habitat and a ‘hot spot’ for the endangered Southern Cassowary. The population of cassowaries in the Daintree is relatively high, providing the alert and watchful visitor with a good chance of a sighting.
Basic facts
- Casuarius casuarius
- Height is 1.5 - 2 metres
- Body black
- Bare blue and red skin on neck and head
- Bony helmet on head
- Heavy legs
- Flightless
- Endangered
- Can be dangerous when cornered or with chicks.
- Its plumage effectively ensures they blend in with the surrounding rainforest, making them elusive and difficult to spot.
Cassowary Etiquette
- NEVER feed cassowaries.
- If you are composting food scraps put the scraps in a secure enclosure.
- If you see a cassowary when driving, don’t stop the vehicle. Simply drive slowly and carefully past and alert oncoming vehicles to the hazard by flashing your lights.
- If you encounter a cassowary in the wild, back calmly away. Hold a bag or other item in front of your body and try to get behind a tree. Don’t run – cassowaries are faster.
- NEVER get between an adult bird and its chicks.
Cassowary Fatherhood
- Father cassowaries are the caregivers.
- The female lays her eggs in a scrape on the ground.
- The father then sits on them for about 50 days until they hatch.
- The little chicks, which start life with cream and black stripes, stay with the father for about nine months during which time they follow him around, learning how to feed.
- Then, as the next breeding season approaches, (June to October) he chases them away.
- Many chicks die at this age as they venture out looking for territories of their own.
Cassowary Hot Spots
- Along the main road to Cape Tribulation
- Jindalba Boardwalk at Cow Bay
- Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay.
- Emmagen Creek north of Cape Tribulation
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