Rainforest Animals.
The rainforest is home to half of the world's animals big and small.
The Southern Cassowary-
Description-
The southern Cassowary is found in the New Guinea, close-by islands as well as North and South Australia. They are part of a group of large, flightless birds called ratites. Cassowaries are eye-catching creatures. They have a tall brown casque on their heads, red wattles, glossy black plumage and a vibrant blue and purple neck. They own a small pair of wings an a long claw at the tip of each wing. Habitat- The southern Cassowary is found in the New Guinea, close-by islands as well as North and South Australia. apart from rainforests that are also found in melalueca swamps, mangrove forests, and sometimes in grasslands, savanna and palm forests that are not far from rainforest vegetation. Diet- • mainly feed on fruits of more than 240 different plant species • also feed on invertebrates, occasionally vertebrates, plants and fungi • eat up an average of 2.9kg of fruit a day Threats- • loss of habitat due to land clearing for farming and urban settlement • habitat degration ~ invasion of weeds • road accidents • dog attacks • pigs ~ competition for food and eat Cassowary eggs • human interaction ~ hand feeding can cause many problems: a) may become dependent on this person, b) hand feeding near roads can increase more road accident, c) hand feeding in urban areas can can cause Cassowaries to be more prone to dog attacks. |