Hi all,
The precarious situation of the cassowary populations in the Wet Tropics was made startling real this week. Following the incidence with the pig-hunters and their dogs last week the cassowaries did not show up for two days. On Monday morning the sub adults ‘Don’ & ‘Q’ were at the Western feed station at 6am. ‘Jessie’ arrived at the Eastern station about 7am. At 7.30am I was photographing a pair of Nutmeg pigeons in the big fig tree on the front lawn. The male was stroking the neck of the female with his beak, she however was not interested. (Male is on the left).
The precarious situation of the cassowary populations in the Wet Tropics was made startling real this week. Following the incidence with the pig-hunters and their dogs last week the cassowaries did not show up for two days. On Monday morning the sub adults ‘Don’ & ‘Q’ were at the Western feed station at 6am. ‘Jessie’ arrived at the Eastern station about 7am. At 7.30am I was photographing a pair of Nutmeg pigeons in the big fig tree on the front lawn. The male was stroking the neck of the female with his beak, she however was not interested. (Male is on the left).
I noticed a cassowary in the bushes behind the fig tree, it was not moving just standing and not moving. I identified it as ‘Big Sis’. Normally ‘Big Sis’ will run away if she sees people: she is very timid. Fearing something was wrong I ran to get some food and I put it on the ground out in the open but near to her. She came out of the bush limping badly, she eat two piecies of apple and walked slowly, limping into the mangroves.
I managed to get a short video of her limping away from the food. I sent it immediately to DERM. Kylie Goodall from DERM came out on Tuesday morning at 6.30 am but no sign of ‘Big Sis’. Kylie said she may go in the bush and sit down until the leg got better.
I managed to get a short video of her limping away from the food. I sent it immediately to DERM. Kylie Goodall from DERM came out on Tuesday morning at 6.30 am but no sign of ‘Big Sis’. Kylie said she may go in the bush and sit down until the leg got better.
There was no sign of ‘Big Sis’ all week and I feared the worse. Then this morning just after I dropped the food in the station she came out of the bush still limping, however, not as badly as before and very, very hungry. Her feathers had lost their sheen and some were a bit askew and she had lost a lot of weight. As she hungrily ate I approached her to see if any wounds were obvious. She let me get within a metre of her and although she looked at me a few times she did not seem to be bothered. It was so unlike the normal timid ‘Big Sis’. I could not see any wounds and although she is still limping I could not identify the cause.
It is impossible to say that the dogs from last week were the cause of the injury. However they were chasing something on my land. The men then took the dogs through the Wet Tropic Estate in an area that is frequented by the cassowaries- Matriarch ‘Jessie’, ‘Dad 4’ ( who is still disappeared, following courtship with Jessie), ‘Big Sis’, ‘Little Runt’ and the sub adults ‘Don’ & ‘Q’. Incidentally I have not seen ‘Little Runt’ for over a week.
It is impossible to say that the dogs from last week were the cause of the injury. However they were chasing something on my land. The men then took the dogs through the Wet Tropic Estate in an area that is frequented by the cassowaries- Matriarch ‘Jessie’, ‘Dad 4’ ( who is still disappeared, following courtship with Jessie), ‘Big Sis’, ‘Little Runt’ and the sub adults ‘Don’ & ‘Q’. Incidentally I have not seen ‘Little Runt’ for over a week.
The male metallic starlings are crooning courtship song and dance routines to the females. The females become entranced and approach the males and bingo the male jumps.
I managed to get a video of the courtship. and the dance where the male bobs up and down dancing and the other of the mating.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
I managed to get a video of the courtship. and the dance where the male bobs up and down dancing and the other of the mating.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
