In the wake of Cyclone Yasi...
Between midnight and 1 a.m. on the 3rd February 2011, Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi made landfall near Mission Beach in far North Queensland. Its damaging winds and driving rains flattened structures and vegetation, including important Cassowary habitat.
Normally staying within rainforest home ranges of 2.5 km² to 7 km², devastated habitats have the potential to force Cassowaries to forage further afield in order to survive. Sadly, this makes them more likely to be involved in traffic accidents and attacks from domestic dogs.
Queensland’s Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) in partnership with organisations like Rainforest Rescue, Bob Irwin and local Mission Beach conservationists were quick to establish over 30 remote feeding stations. Quick response actions like this saved many Cassowary casualties.
The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife and Action Campaign for Endangered Species (ACES) are now partnering with Rainforest Rescue to provide longer term assistance to the endangered Southern Cassowary populations.
Much needed funds of $4,000 have been provided by the Foundation and ACES to restore cyclone-damaged Cassowary habitat around Mission Beach.
From February 2011, weeds were slashed and sprayed so that the first of 800 trees could be planted in the area. Plantings will continue during the wet season until April 2012.
Once established, these 800 trees will form and expand a strategic ‘Cassowary Corridor’ for this endangered species to remain safe within as they forage, mate, raise their chicks and establish new home territories.
Why are Cassowaries Important?
The Southern Cassowary Casuarius Casuarius is also found in New Guinea and surrounding islands, but Australia’s Cassowary is unique. The Australian Cassowary subspecies, Casuarius casuarius johnsonii, is not found naturally anywhere else in the world.
Australia’s Casssowaries play a central role in the propagation of many rainforest plants. Cassowaries areuniquely responsible for a great deal of the resilience anddiversity of rainforest environments.
Over 70 species of rainforest trees have fruits that are so large that no rainforest dwelling animal except the Cassowary is able to eat and relocate their seeds.
If it weren’t for Cassowaries, these plant species would only occur in concentrated pockets around the parent tree or in places where the seeds rolled. Over a long period of time, the structure of the forest would change.
Cassowaries distribute these seeds all over their home ranges and keep the rainforest environment diverse and thriving.
At least 80 other rainforest species are also distributed by the Cassowary. These plants produce seeds too toxic for other animals to eat but which the Cassowary, with its rapid and specialised digestive system, absolutely loves.
Essential for the maintenence of the rainforest environment a swe know it, and to the distribution of over 150 plant species, the Cassowary is a central, ‘keystone species’ in its habitats.
