The cassowary is a large, flightless bird that roams across the Southern Hemisphere, making appearances in countries like Papua New Guinea, parts of Indonesia, and Australia. It’s in the same club as emus and ostriches when it comes to heavyweight avians.
These birds are built like athletes, boasting strong legs for defensive kicks, impressive leaps, and sprint speeds. They also sport formidable claws, handy for self-defence and digging up fallen fruits.
What truly sets cassowaries apart, though, is their striking appearance. With a bright blue head, red wattle, and a black body covered in hair-like feathers, they’re a visual spectacle. But the cherry on top is their individual “helmet.”
Cassowaries are most active at twilight and are notoriously tricky to track due to their solitary lifestyle and dense rainforest homes. You can find them in various habitats like beaches, mangroves, and rainforests.
The cassowary is considered the most dangerous bird in the world!
Its population is about 4,000 in Australia due to habitat loss, car accidents, and dog attacks. Thus, there is an urgent need to draw attention to their role in the local ecosystem and the need to protect them. For example, cassowary spreads seeds of rainforest trees, supporting forest regeneration!
Once when students asked me for a cassowary book, I had to admit we didn't have any, but we do now!
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