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Queensland, Australia
Daintree National Park
Trip Day Thirty-seven: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
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The Elusive Cassowary
Signs of a Cassowary
Fruits with large seeds depend on the cassowary to distribute them.
Scientists have found that the seeds germinate much more reliably after having passed through the cassowary.
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The threatened Cassowary is the largest land creature in Australia and the second heaviest bird in the world, after the ostrich. It is 5 to 6 feet tall and third tallest after the ostrich and emu. A cassowary's three-toed feet have sharp claws; the dagger-like middle claw is 5 inches long. This claw is particularly dangerous since the Cassowary can use it to kill an enemy, disembowelling it with a single kick. They can run up to 32 mph through the dense forest. They can jump up to 5 feet and they are good swimmers
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A Trail of Eggs
We found the cassowary eggs scattered along a trail much like those deposited for an Easter Egg Hunt.
We counted eight eggs in this picture. How many can you find?
Disclaimer: We did not see a cassowary in the wild, nor do I think Tony expected to see one.
The dung and the eggs were pictured as we found them.
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