Cassowary

𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 are 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 birds of the genus 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 in the order 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐬. 

Cassowaries are found in the tropical forests of 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐬, and 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚.

The Southern cassowary is the 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 and 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 living bird.

Cassowary diet consists of 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 ,𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬,𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬,𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐬, 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬,𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬.

Females are larger and more brightly coloured than the males. 

Adult southern cassowaries are 𝟒 𝐟𝐭 𝟏𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝟓 𝐟𝐭 𝟏𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥, although some females may reach  𝟔 𝐟𝐭 .

The cassowary is 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 .

Cassowaries have 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭 with 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐬.The inner toe has a 𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰 that may be 𝟏𝟐𝟓 𝐦𝐦 long.This claw is particularly fearsome, since cassowaries sometimes kick humans and other animals with their powerful legs. 

Cassowaries can run at up to 𝟓𝟎 𝐤𝐦 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 and can jump up to 𝟏.𝟓 𝐦. They are good swimmers.

The lifespan of wild cassowaries is approximately 𝟏𝟖 𝐭𝐨 𝟐𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬.

Cassowaries are solitary birds except during courtship, egg-laying, and when they are around ample food supplies.

 Males and females each maintain separate territories of a size of approximately 𝟑 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬.

Cassowaries feed on the fruit of several hundred species of rainforest trees and usually pass viable seeds in large, dense scats. They are known to disperse seeds over kilometres long distances, thus playing an important role in the ecosystem.