Estimates of cassowary numbers in the Wet Tropics areas of Australia may be much less than previously thought, putting the species at much greater risk from human activity in rainforests.

A recent study by local researcher Les Moore* suggests that population estimates of Cassowaries in Mission Beach and other surveys may have been overestimated by six times the real number because of small survey areas. Previous research has been used to estimate that around 1200 southern cassowaries are left in the Wet Tropics of Australia (down from 4,000 in 1988).

“The figure could now be significantly less than that, putting the species much more under threat than was realized and heightening the need for greater protection for their habitats,” said Rainforest Rescue’s Community Conservation Project Officer, Chris Bennett.

“We already have less cassowaries than giant pandas and the new concerns on population numbers highlight the need for more support for the buy back of more of the World Heritage value Daintree lowland rainforest,” added Chris.

The cassowary is a major disperser of rainforest plant seeds and the only long distance disperser of some species with large fleshy fruits. Because it is essential to forest ecology and habitats of diverse species, the cassowary is considered a “keystone” species of the rainforests.

The Daintree lowland rainforest is one of the six priority areas identified as having extreme current or potential threats to their cassowary populations. There is a known population of only around 50 cassowaries remaining in the Daintree lowland rainforests.

About 11% of cassowary habitat is outside of protected areas and is mainly on freehold land and this includes areas in the Daintree lowland rainforests, where research has shown that the home ranges of about half of the cassowaries in the area are intersected by roads.

“These areas continue to be fragmented or destroyed by residential development and the associated impacts such as more traffic, dogs and loss of corridors. Further fragmentation and loss of corridors will result in isolated populations, restricting their ability to breed, reducing the genetic diversity and limiting their ability for migration,” said Chris.

“These areas should be protected and Rainforest Rescue has purchased ten properties to help retain corridors, but there is a need for much more to be done.”

Donations to support Rainforest Rescue and the Daintree Buy Back and Protect Forever Project can be made at www.rainforestrescue.org.au

*Moore, L.A, Population ecology of the southern cassowary Casuarius casuarius johnsonii, Mission Beach North Qld, 2007