Mission Beach Fringe Dweller Identification Project - Call C4 Now

As development continues to encroach into natural areas it is to be expected there will be more frequent sightings of cassowaries. Their home ranges can be up to 7 square kilometers which means they may have to cross busy roads sometimes several times a day in the course of moving around the landscape to access their essential habitat.

Roads and open country is fragmenting their safe environment and exposing them to very high risk of traffic strike and dog attack. Many houses at Mission Beach back onto rainforest where people have got to know a particular bird or families of birds that frequent their properties. Often they are known by name. These birds could be called fringe dwellers and have become used to people and less shy of entering open areas such as back yards to feed on available fruit.

Cassowaries can live up to 50 years of age and once they have established a home foraging range they will occupy it for life. The cassowary fringe dweller identification/sightings project will endeavour to identify individual birds and a better estimate of numbers of cassowaries in the Mission Beach area. It would gain an insight into movements of the birds over the landscape.

If you see cassowaries on a regular basis and would like to take part in the Fringe Dweller Identification Project please call 4068 7197 to register your interest and arrange for your sightings form.

Mission Beach Fringe Dweller Identification Project – Part 2