Cassowary alert - keep your windows up and your speed down
Issued: 10 Oct 2024
An adult cassowary is risking its life and bringing traffic to a standstill along a narrow, winding stretch of road at the top of Gillies Range.
The cassowary has been sighted repeatedly meandering in and out of traffic along a five-kilometre stretch of Gillies Range Road, where the verges on each side are extremely steep.
Manager Northern Wildlife Operations Dave Woods from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation has asked drivers on Gillies Range Road to reduce their speed, keep an eye out for the bird and keep their windows wound up.
“Wildlife officers have reviewed videos taken by members of the public, and believe this bird has been previously fed by people from cars,” Mr Woods said.
“It is not wary of vehicles, and it can be seen approaching vehicles as they slow down or stop, hoping to be fed.
“We have conducted several site inspections and observed the cassowary’s behaviour, but the section of road presents operational challenges.
“Due to the narrow road, high volume of traffic and steep landscape, it would be dangerous and difficult for wildlife officers to conduct behavioural modification on the animal.
“We are currently working with the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Queensland Police Service about management options to address the risk to road users and the cassowary.”
Mr Woods said the cassowary had been reported to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service by concerned members of the public.
“We would like to thank everyone who made those reports out of concern for the safety of road users and welfare of the cassowary,” he said.
“Cassowaries are an endangered, iconic species, and every bird is precious. We don’t want anything to happen to this animal and we want drivers to remain safe.
“We’re asking everyone who uses Gillies Range Road to keep their windows up, not discard any food and drive with caution near the top of the range.
“If people stop offering the cassowary food, it will return to the rainforest and go back to foraging for food without any further human intervention.
“It is illegal to feed cassowaries, because it can alter their behaviour, puts them at risk of vehicle strike or dog attack and they can act aggressively towards people if they are expecting food.
“Cassowaries have been around for millions of years, and they know how to find their own food in the rainforest.”
The southern cassowary is considered endangered, and its population is limited to rainforest areas of the Wet Tropics and Cape York.
Cassowaries can inflict serious injuries to people and pets by kicking out with their large, clawed feet. People are asked to Be cass-o-wary at all times in the Wet Tropics.
- Never approach cassowaries.
- Never approach chicks – male cassowaries will defend them.
- Never feed cassowaries – it is illegal, dangerous and has caused cassowary deaths.
- Always discard food scraps in closed bins and ensure compost bins have secure lids.
- Slow down when driving in cassowary habitat.
- Never stop your vehicle to look at cassowaries on the road.
- Keep dogs behind fences or on a leash.