General News
30 September, 2022
Celebrating Cassowary Day
TO celebrate World Cassowary Day on Monday, September 26, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Science (DES), launched a series of six educational signs at Etty Bay that take a comical approach to protect the region’s favourite bird – the Cassowary.
Featuring a cartoon Cassowary called ‘Snitty’, the signs use humour and wit to discuss how Cassowaries can behave and what visitors should and shouldn’t do around the protected species.
The signs aim to stand out from regular signage and messaging, which is more commonly used, and influence behaviour change of people visiting the region.
Environment Portfolio Holder, Councillor Jeff Baines, said that World Cassowary Day is a day of celebration to draw attention to how vital Cassowaries are to the ecosystem and to promote the protection of the bird.
“There is no better day than World Cassowary Day to launch the newly created signage and get the community and visitors talking about how to be Cass-O-Warry,” Cr Baines said.
“The signs, which Andrew Marlton, an award-winning political cartoonist for the Guardian Australia and First Dog on the Moon artist created, use a comical approach to educate Etty Bay visitors on how to act around Cassowaries and the important do’s and don’ts.
“Across Australia, the current population estimate for the Southern Cassowaries, the species located on the Cassowary Coast, is just 4,000. Unfortunately, habitat loss, car strikes and dog attacks continue to threaten the species.
“It is important that visitors and the community be vigilant in areas where Cassowaries frequent and don’t feed, approach or leave food scraps behind,” he said.
Senior Wildlife Officer Dinouk Perera said the iconic blue, black and red southern Cassowary is thought to be a relic of the age of dinosaurs.
“Cassowaries play a unique role in maintaining the rich biodiversity of Queensland’s World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest,” Mr Perera said.
“Queensland is the only Australian state where these iconic, massive, flightless birds can be found in the wild, and it is always exciting for people to catch a glimpse of a Cassowary in the wild.
“Unfortunately, cassowaries become victims of vehicle strikes and we’re asking people to slow down in the region, never feed cassowaries and always try to observe them from a distance.
“The Department of Environment and Science is working with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council to help protect these magnificent animals.”
To view the series of signs, visit the Etty Bay foreshore and to report a Cassowary sighting, please call 1300 130 372.
For further information contact Council at 1300 763 903 or email : enquiries@cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au.
