'Dad 2' and his chicks
A big new-year’s-hello from Coquette Point,
It’s that time of the year for some retrospection and in so doing I would like to congratulate the National Parks Rangers and all at DERM, including the pollies, for their response to the critical plight of the endangered populations of Cassowaries and Mahogany Gliders: these creatures lost their habitat and food supply from the damage done to the forest by cyclone ‘Yasi’. The work of the rangers would not have been possible without the dedicated support of volunteers who chopped over three ton of fruit per week and also helped in so many other ways to ensure the supplementary feeding programmes were successful.
It’s that time of the year for some retrospection and in so doing I would like to congratulate the National Parks Rangers and all at DERM, including the pollies, for their response to the critical plight of the endangered populations of Cassowaries and Mahogany Gliders: these creatures lost their habitat and food supply from the damage done to the forest by cyclone ‘Yasi’. The work of the rangers would not have been possible without the dedicated support of volunteers who chopped over three ton of fruit per week and also helped in so many other ways to ensure the supplementary feeding programmes were successful.
The forests all over the shire are showing good signs of recovery and a diversity of fruit is now showing in cassowary scats. While at Coquette Point we have not seen any new chicks born this year- so far, however, there have been reports of new cassowary chicks at El Arish and Mission Beach. Unfortunately there have been 19 reported cassowary deaths this year and that is far more than new chicks born in the same period.
On November 10 2010 Bill Farmsworth sent me this photo (above3) of Dad 2 and his new chicks. The photo (right) was taken on Friday 30th December. The chicks are almost as large as Dad and still walking with him. It is very unusual for the chicks to stay with the Dad for more than 12 months.
On November 10 2010 Bill Farmsworth sent me this photo (above3) of Dad 2 and his new chicks. The photo (right) was taken on Friday 30th December. The chicks are almost as large as Dad and still walking with him. It is very unusual for the chicks to stay with the Dad for more than 12 months.
'Dad 1' lost one of his chicks during the night of cyclone Tasha that struck Innisfail on the 24 December 2010. Photo taken on the 27 December 2010. The surviving chick was named ‘Rosie’ by one of the National Park Rangers and she is doing fine and also still walking with Dad.
'Little Runt'
One week after the cyclone the subadult cassowary ‘Little Runt’ was in a very poor state when I found him collapsed in the sweet potato patch. I saw him again today for the first time in a couple of months and he is looking strong and fit.
Without the supplementary feeding programme many of these amazing birds would have died.
'Big Sis'
‘Little Runt’s’ sibling ‘Big Sis’ is fine and ‘Brown Cone’ the male bird that hangs about near Ninds Creek was almost fat when I last saw him four weeks ago.’ Dad 4’ went off mid- August following courtship behaviour with the matriarch ‘ Jessi’ and hasn’t been seen since. ‘Jessie’ hasn’t been around for a few weeks but it is normal for her to disappear for long periods.
‘Dad 4’s’ two chicks ‘Don’ and ‘Q’ are doing fine but I have not seen the subadult ‘Captain Starlight’ for six weeks. One cassowary death was reported at Coquette Point this year. That’s the roll call of Coquette Point Cassowaries for 2011- one down and no new births.
My very best wishes to you for 2012,
Sincerely Yvonne C.
P.S My very dear friend, who lives deep in the rainforest at Mossman, ‘Bloodywertzie’ has corrected an error in last week’s news. Pink –tongued Skinks are born alive, not hatched from eggs as I indicated. Jim recalls seeing 26 young born to one skink at Mount Nebo. Jim also mentioned that there is also a much rarer light coloured unpatterned variety that is often mistaken for a new undescribed species.YC.
‘Dad 4’s’ two chicks ‘Don’ and ‘Q’ are doing fine but I have not seen the subadult ‘Captain Starlight’ for six weeks. One cassowary death was reported at Coquette Point this year. That’s the roll call of Coquette Point Cassowaries for 2011- one down and no new births.
My very best wishes to you for 2012,
Sincerely Yvonne C.
P.S My very dear friend, who lives deep in the rainforest at Mossman, ‘Bloodywertzie’ has corrected an error in last week’s news. Pink –tongued Skinks are born alive, not hatched from eggs as I indicated. Jim recalls seeing 26 young born to one skink at Mount Nebo. Jim also mentioned that there is also a much rarer light coloured unpatterned variety that is often mistaken for a new undescribed species.YC.
