The Southern Cassowary
BASIC FACTS
Full name is
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
CASSOWARY ETIQUETTE
NEVER feed cassowaries.
If you are composting food scraps put the scraps in a secure enclosure out at night,
Don’t stop the vehicle when you see a cassowary. Simply drive slowly and carefully past and alert oncomingvehicles 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.
Don’t 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.
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 IN THE CAPE TRIBULATION - DAINTREE COAST AREA
Along the main road to Cape Tribulation, several locations are marked by signs
Jindalba Boardwalk at Cow Bay
Emmagen Creek north of Cape Tribulation
Cape Tribulation Accommodation Tours Daintree
OUR SPECIALS
EXOTIC FRUIT TASTING
Book the tasting online and receive a discount of $2 per ticket.
JUNGLE SURFING
Book a Jungle Surfing Tour and a Jungle Adventures Nightwalk as a COMBO and save $10
DAINTREE DISCOVERY CENTRE
Entry ticket allows return visits for 7 days at no extra charge — just get your guide book stamped on departure. The Family Pass includes all your children
DAINTREE RIVER FERRY
Buy a multiday ferry pass and receive 5 return car/ute trips for $40, a saving of $60.
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