Cassowaries: Rainforest Royalty with Attitude

Cassowaries aren’t just the most spectacular bird in the Australian rainforest - they’re also one of the most misunderstood, most important, and (let’s be honest) most terrifying if you’re a tradie with a shiny ute.

Let’s break it down. It's #FloraAndFaunaFriday:

Some people reckon the helmet-like casque on a cassowary’s head acts like a bike helmet, helping them crash through thick rainforest without banging their heads. Makes sense - they’re basically living bulldozers with feathers. But scientists tell me that it's more likely to be an sonic device that helps them navigate and communicate with each other.

Cassowaries are called the gardeners of the rainforest. That's because they're essential to rainforest health. Over 100 native plants need to pass through a cassowary’s gut before they can germinate. Without cassowaries, the forest wouldn’t just be poorer - it would fall apart.

And yes, they’ve got a vicious big toe claw, like a mini velociraptor. I once saw a cassowary trash a tradie’s ute in Mission Beach. No joke - check out this video of it scratching the door panel and then strutting off like it owned the place (because it kind of does).

Cassowary trashing a tradies shiny ute

My mate Paul Webster - aka Cassowary Man - once fired a toy cassowary into space to celebrate the very first World Cassowary Day. Yes, that’s a real thing. I’ve been twice. Highly recommend.

There may be fewer than 4,000 cassowaries left in the wild. Let’s protect them - and the forests that depend on them. That means ending their habitat destruction, tackling climate change, slowing down for them on the roads, and keeping vicious dogs out of their habitat. 🖤

Gregory trying to avoid eye with the Cassowary that trashed the tradies ute.

#Cassowary #FloraAndFaunaFriday #RainforestGuardians #CassowaryMan #WorldCassowaryDay #MissionBeachMoments #BigToeEnergy #BiodiversityMatters