Cassowary

12 Nov 2024 13:36:13 pm

Tags : Cassowary

Topic: Biodiversity

Why in the news?

Nowadays, cassowary, often dubbed the ‘most dangerous bird in the world’, is itself in grave danger. Targeted hunting, habitat loss and fragmentation have left less than 5,000 birds in Australia. The loss of the cassowary could be dangerous for Australia and New Guinea’s rainforests as the bird disperses seeds through its scat.
Every year, World Cassowary Day is observed on September 26 to draw international attention to the reasons these birds are important for the world at large and need to be protected.

Source: Down To Earth

About Cassowary:

It is a large, flightless bird most closely related to the emu. It is considered the most dangerous bird in the world.
They are strong swimmers and can move quickly on both land and water.
It has been stated that cassowaries are shy and they are usually hard to spot, at least in their natural rain forest habitats.
It is native to New Guinea and found in Australian rainforests.
Species of cassowary:
- Southern, or double-wattled cassowary:
  - It is the largest of the three species.
  - It inhabits lowland rainforest and is also found in eucalyptus forests or forested swamps.
- Northern or single-wattled cassowary:
  - It inhabits the coastal swamps and lowland rainforests of northern New Guinea.
- Dwarf cassowary:
  - It is smaller than the other two species of cassowary, usually weighing around 50 pounds.
  - Its habitat is at a higher altitude, and they are generally found in more steep mountainous terrain,
It carries out a significant dispersal of seeds from native plants between rainforest patches and remains essential in maintaining native plant diversity.
It is culturally important for some Aboriginal groups, and also sometimes feature in traditional ceremonies, dances and Dreamtime narratives.
- Several of these indigenous groups are now involved in cassowary conservation, using traditional ecological knowledge along with modern science.