A young male cassowary has been rehabilitated and released into Wooroonooran National Park after being rescued from cane fields near Mourilyan in far north Queensland.
The successful release of the cassowary demonstrates the importance of public reporting of cassowary sightings, particularly if the birds are sick, injured or in places well away from of their normal habitat.
In March this year, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) received multiple sighting reports a young cassowary wandering along roads among cane fields, several kilometres from the nearest forested area.
DETSI wildlife rangers found the bird to be in poor condition and an analysis of its fresh scat showed it had been eating solely non-native fruit.
Due to the location, condition and the risk of vehicle strike, the bird was captured and placed in DETSI's Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre at Garners Beach.
Senior Wildlife Ranger Alex Diczbalis said the juvenile male cassowary had received daily care and feeding at the centre by volunteers from the Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation (C4), and its condition had improved rapidly.
"We'd like to thank the members of the public who took the time to report the cassowary to us and to the C4 volunteers for their dedication," Mr Diczbalis said.
"After several weeks of care, which included feeding the bird native fruit collected from the roadside, the cassowary was assessed by local vet Dr Graham Lauridsen as being suitable
for release back into the wild.
"We chose a release location in Wooroonooran National Park that has dense rainforest, abundant native food, and access to fresh water which will give the cassowary a great opportunity to establish a home range.
"On 10 April 2025, the cassowary was released into the rainforest and calmly explored its new surroundings.
"Recent site visits have confirmed that the cassowary is foraging well and fulfilling its vital role in seed dispersal and rainforest regeneration. We hope the cassowary will thrive and in time father its own chicks."
To report a cassowary sighting or incident, call 1300 130 372 in a timely manner.
Be Cass-o-wary!!
Southern cassowary behaviour is unpredictable. Cassowaries can inflict serious injuries to people and pets by lashing out with their large, clawed feet.
- Don't approach cassowaries, it's best to appreciate them from a distance
- Never approach chicks – male cassowaries will defend them.
- Don't feed cassowaries – it is illegal, dangerous and has caused cassowary deaths.
- Discard food scraps in closed bins and ensure compost bins have secure lids.
- Slow down and keep an eye out when driving on roads in cassowary habitat.
- Don't park your vehicle near cassowaries, they may think you've stopped to feed them.
- Keep dogs behind fences or on a leash.
