Wild Cassowary at The Boulders

[Allen]

We went for a bit of a drive today for something different to working all the time and came across a wild Cassowary. Not something that is overly common even up here where they are native, so I'm sure that most of you would never have seen one. They are a fantastic looking bird. Bloody big too. It walked within touching distance from me but only one of use would have come out well if I'd had tried that. Just look at those toes.

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[Nick]

I've seen the ones in Australia Zoo they remind me of being still slightly 'prehistoric' whith that head crown thing, don't think my partner was particularly enamoured of them, lets just say they seem to eat anything even if it's already been through their system .
Great colouring on these birds though. Do they know how many are still left? Because as you say, I've heard they are a rare sight indeed. I saw a doco once where the whole program was spent trying to spot one of these buggers, even then they only saw one "in the distance" through the bush.

[Allen]

The most you see of them is road signs informing you that they just might be around and to watch out for them so they don't get hit. Apparently they have been determined to be a vital part of the rain forest eco system in that they are one of the only animals that will eat some of the seeds from the local trees and then conveniently transport them elsewhere and deposit them in their own little pile of fertiliser. They are pretty much a feathered dinosaur when you see one up close.

[Kim]

Ah Australia, land of the big punk chicken