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Cassowary

Species: Casuariidae Casuarius

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Standing at 170-180cm tall, and weighing up to 65kg, Southern Cassowaries are the world’s third tallest bird and second heaviest. Southern Cassowaries have a thick, tall casque on top of their head, with blue head and neck skin, red skin down the sides of the neck, and a double red and blue wattle. They have double-shafted, long black feathers that give them a shaggy appearance, and short, thick, powerful legs.  Each foot has 3 toes with sharp claws, especially the medial claw, which measures at up to 12cm long and can tear through flesh.

Diet

Southern Cassowaries are omnivorous, feeding primarily on fruits, seeds and berries, as well as fish and carrion.

Social organisation and Reproduction

Southern Cassowaries are solitary birds, coming together only during breeding season from July-September.  Females will lay 1-6 light pear-green eggs in a large flat nest made of sticks, leaves and other debris. She will then leave to find another mate, and the male will be responsible for incubating the eggs and raising the chicks.

Why are they endangered?

  • In Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, they are heavily hunted for their meat and cultural exchange
  • Habitat destruction, both through humans and natural disasters such as cyclones
FIND OUT MORE
OUR ANIMAL FAMILY
ANIMAL FACTS

Cassowary

GROUP NAME

Shock

Native To

Australia

SIZE

170-180cm tall, weighing up to 65kg

BABY NAME

Chick or Hatchling

Habitat

Southern Cassowaries inhabit tropical rainforests in far-north Queensland, as well as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Occasionally they will inhabit fruit plantations, savannah forests and mangroves.

Did You Know?

Southern Cassowaries will ‘spar’ with each other and predators, jumping up and kicking both feet forward. This kick is extremely powerful and can be deadly to humans.

MEET OUR

ANIMAL FAMILY

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