​The Endangered Southern Cassowary in the
Mission Beach area of the Cassowary Coast.
Perhaps the most sought after bird to view in the country, the towering endangered Southern Cassowary can stand close to 6 ft high, roaming mostly in dense tropical rainforests that provide a supply of fruit all year round.
They are considered a key stone species, this is a species which has a disproportionately large effect on it's natural environment relative to it's abundance.
Every ecosystem has certain species that are critical to the survival of the other species in the system, without them the ecosystem may not survive.
​The Cassowary is one of the closest living species to dinosaurs and it is also the second heaviest bird in the world, possibly living to around 40 years in the wild.

​It is estimated the range of a Cassowary is up to 7sq klms, so within this area these flightless birds play a vital role in dispersing forest fruits that they have ingested passing the seeds across their habitat where they can germinate to keep refreshing the diversity in the area.
​Some suggest around 2000 birds remain in the forest regions with habitat loss, vehicle strikes, feral pigs and dog attacks affecting populations.
Incubation time.
While the male birds are typically smaller in size than the much larger and taller egg-laying females, the males incubate the eggs in a shallow scrape for almost two months after which time he cares for the chicks until he decides when it is time for them to leave, possibly 8 months or longer.
Typically birds hatch between 1-4 chicks after a successful incubation time.

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Southern Cassowaries have a horn like protrusion from the top of their head called a 'casque', this is a keratinous material like a fingernail on the outside while on the inside it is springier, thermal imagery has shown the casque acts like a radiator helping to keep the birds cooler in the tropical heat.
With three toes the inside claw is dagger like measuring around 120mm in length, a useful tool for defense and scratching.

​Only 20-25% of former Cassowary habitat remains, and much of it is still under pressure, rainforest has been cleared for agriculture, roads and business/housing development, those remaining Cassowaries in road areas are forced to cross so they can access food in other areas of their estimated 7sq. klm habitat. Road crossings lead to accidents resulting in Cassowary deaths. 
Don't forget to slow down and stop if you see these birds as they are generally not educated well with traffic and can move suddenly and erratically in any direction.

Cassowaries eat other animals.
​While these ancient birds typically consume mostly forest fruits they also eat other deceased creatures.
With busy roads placed in prime Cassowary habitat, obviously Cassowaries can become road accident victims themselves, ​however, they are not the only wildlife to end up as road kill, one of the larger victims is the local wallabies which interestingly become food for the Cassowary, in pic one of the local male birds with 3 chicks, all consuming the contents of an agile wallaby carcass.

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