Known as the modern dinosaur, Cassowary is a big endemic bird from West Papua. Not only does it have giant postures, people also called it the most dangerous bird in the world. With imposing claws but yet very beautiful feathers, dive deeper into this first bird human’s bird pet ever.
To this day, three different kinds of cassowary are still around. But each of them has a “horn” on top of their head. There are still different opinions on the actual function of the horn. But some of them said that the horn is for protection, communication, or attracting the opposite sex.
Variety, Characteristics, and Behaviors
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The first one is single-wattled cassowary or northern cassowary. This kind has a hard and stiff black feather covering its body and yellow around its neck. It also has a beak that is slightly shorter than other kinds of a cassowary.
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The second kind is double-wattled cassowary or southern cassowary. Its feathers are also black but with a blue color from its neck to its face. It got its name because this bird has two red wattle on its neck. It also has a horn-like crown on top of its head.
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The last kind is the dwarf cassowary that lives in the central part of Papua. A minor kind with only 99 to 135 cm in height. With a much darker feather and no colorization around its neck, this bird has a triangular horn on top of its head. This bird behavior is also shyer than other cassowary species.
Besides the dwarf cassowary, the other two became dangerous birds. Even though it does not show sudden aggressiveness, cassowary can attack other animals when they are in danger. They use their big claws as their weapon to defend themselves.
Another unique trait from this species is the male is the one that incubates the eggs. In the mating season, the female cassowary will lay the eggs in their nest. After that, the male will take care of the eggs for 50 to 52 days. They will stay around with the chicks for about nine months.
They communicate with each other with low-frequency sounds which humans can’t hear. But they are rarely seen in a group except for the male cassowary and its chicks.
Environment and Population
Usually, they live in a deep rainforest on Papua’s island. In West Papua, almost all low ground forest and swampy areas are their habitats. But the populations are not as dense as the extensive habitats.
In the northern part of West Papua, the single-wattled cassowary lives in swampy and low-ground areas. There is no precise number for the population of this bird. But the government and IUCN Redlist believe that this bird population is declining. Thus it is categorized as a vulnerable conservation kind of bird.
The double-wattled cassowary lives in the southern part of West Papua, also in low ground level areas. This species is more familiar with humans and is the first tamed bird by humans.
The dwarf cassowary, on the other hand, is a timid bird. Even though they live in the middle part of West Papua, these bird sightings are infrequent. Also, its population is declining faster because of its predators because of its smaller stature.
The Efforts to Protect and Preserve The Birds
In Indonesia, cassowary is on the list of endangered birds. Its threat beside the natural predators are humans. For a long time, this bird hunted for consumption and cultural reasons. Now, as part of the conservation effort, the local and national government made a special law to protect this bird.
The law limits the time and number for these birds. Especially dwarf cassowary that have the smallest population from the other two species. Also the government made their habitats into national parks to limit people from invading their place.
