Cassowary

Table of Contents☰

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.
Distribution: It is native to New Guinea and found in Australian rainforests.
There are three species of cassowary.
- The southern, or double-wattled cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is the largest of the three. It inhabits lowland rainforest and is also found in eucalyptus forests or forested swamps.
- The northern or single-wattled cassowary (Casuarius unappendiculatus) inhabits the coastal swamps and lowland rainforests of northern New Guinea.
- The dwarf cassowary is smaller than the other two species of cassowary, usually weighing around 50 pounds. Their habitat is at a higher altitude, and they are generally found in more steep mountainous terrain,
Ecological Significance: They remain a significant dispersal of seeds from native plants between rainforest patches and remain essential in maintaining native plant diversity.
Cultural Significance
- They are culturally important for some Aboriginal groups, and they 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.

Q1: What is Emu?

It belongs to a group of flightless running birds known as ratites, the most primitive of the modern bird families. It is the second-largest living bird in the world (the ostrich is the largest). Distribution: The Emu is found only in Australia.

Source: September 26: A day dedicated to Cassowary, the ‘most dangerous bird’ in the world