Dangerous Australian Native Wildlife - Cassowary
November 26th 2010 01:28
Standing about a metre tall, there is little sexual dimorphism between male and female cassowaries, except that females are slightly larger. Both sexes have glossy blue-black plumage with brighter blue head and neck feathers and a bright red wattle hanging from the neck. Cassowaries also have a bony crest, or casque, on top of their heads which is believed to help it barge through the undergrowth.
Secretive and solitary, cassowaries feed on fallen jungle fruits and berries, occasionally straying into canefields and orchards. They can also swim when necessary. While not native inhabitants of the Gold Coast, this pair was photographed at Australia Zoo.
Cassowaries communicate with low rumbling booms and growls, loud roars and sharp hisses. They can be dangerous when disturbed, and have been known to kill people in defence of a perceived threat. They can leap forwards with both sturdy legs outthrust, to strike with the long sharp claws on their three toed feet.
Cassowaries nest in a scraped hollow on the ground lined with leaves. Females may lay a clutch of three to five eggs, two or three times in a breeding season, which occurs between June and October. The males incubate the eggs, and feed and protect the chicks, while the female seeks a new mate.
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