Southern Cassowary

05mei2011
Source: avifauna.nl
The young southern cassowary born in October 2010 in Avifauna (Netherlands) is moving to Denmark’s Blavand Zoo and will become part of the breeding program there.
Avifauna houses the breeding register for all southern cassowaries in European zoos. All information is collected in this European Studbook (ESB) pertaining to births, deaths and moving of these cassowaries in all EAZA member zoos. Member zoos can also contact the ESB keeper for advice on breeding pairs and moves.

The southern cassowaries feel very much at home in Avifauna. Over 40 young have hatched there. All year long these cassowaries are solitary birds, sharing their enclosures only during the breeding season. Once enough eggs have been laid, the female goes back to her own enclosure. The task of brooding the eggs and caring for the young belongs to the male. The eggs are laid on a pile of leaves; the male bird keeps the pile’s temperature constant by adding or taking away leaves. The eggs hatch after approximately 50 days, and then the male fiercely protects the young birds from possible attack by birds of prey. After about nine months the young birds leave the nest to seek out their own territory.

Southern cassowaries are predominantly fruit eaters, though they also eat small vertebrates (birds, frogs, mice, rats, fish) and invertebrates (snails, insects).