Cassowary

The following information was sourced from the Queensland Government site: https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/living-with/cassowary-safety-tips

Being Cass-o-wary means knowing how to keep yourself safe around cassowaries as well as helping to protect these endangered animals.  Southern cassowaries are a special sight to see but they can be aggressive and unpredictable. 

• Follow these tips to help keep yourself, your family, your pets and the cassowaries safe: 
• Never feed cassowaries—it is illegal, dangerous and has resulted in cassowary deaths. 
• Always discard food scraps in closed bins and ensure compost bins have secure lids. 
• Never approach cassowaries. 
• Never approach chicks—male cassowaries will defend them. 
• Always give cassowaries space and observe them from a safe distance. 
• Never stop your vehicle to look at cassowaries on the road. 
• Always slow down when driving in cassowary habitat. 

Never feed cassowaries 

• Never feed cassowaries, fines apply. 
• Never allow the cassowary to access your food. Cassowaries fed, intentionally or unintentionally, by humans can become bold and aggressive towards people. 
• A cassowary that has been fed by the roadside begins to associate cars with food, this increases the risk of the bird being hit and killed by a car. 
• Always keep food, cooking and cleaning items secure. 

Give cassowaries space

• Never approach an adult cassowary—they’re wild animals and can be unpredictable. If you see a cassowary, admire it from a safe distance. A cassowary may feel threatened if approached. 
• Never approach a cassowary chick or get between a chick and its dad. Cassowary dads are very protective of their young and will defend them. 
• Always keep a safe distance while taking photos of cassowaries. Never chase after a cassowary for a photo opportunity. 

Drive with care 

• Slow down when driving in cassowary habitat. Cassowaries can cross the road unexpectedly. 
• Never stop your vehicle on the road to look at a cassowary. This poses a risk to you, other drivers and the cassowary. Reduce your speed, safely avoid the cassowary and indicate to other drivers there is a cassowary nearby. 
• Keep an eye out for young cassowaries following an adult across the road. Young cassowaries are stripy or brown and can be harder to see. 
• Look out for bright yellow ‘Recent Cassowary Crossing’ signs on the side of the road. These signs help to notify drivers that a cassowary has been reported crossing the road in that area recently. 

Tips for campers 

Be Cass-o-wary when camping in cassowary habitat: 

• Keep food and rubbish secured by packing it away in your car, caravan or tent.
• Cassowaries have been known to enter campsites in search of food and can become aggressive. 
• Make sure you have an item, such as a broom or a chair, close by to place between yourself and a cassowary if it approaches your campsite. 

Always maintain a safe distance from a cassowary.

 Download the Be-Cass-O-Wary Brochure