Watch the tense moment rare 35kg creature lowered into remote Aussie forest
After a 30km journey in a purpose built air-conditioned vehicle, a 60kg heavy-duty plastic box is lowered into remote rainforest. It's like a scene out of Jurassic Park, but instead of a dinosaur, it contains one of Australia's largest, most dangerous and rarest birds.
In March, the endangered southern cassowary was discovered underweight and with a belly full of tomato seeds and fruits scavenged from compost bins. Several reports indicated the bird had been wandering along roads close to cane fields and was in danger of being hit by a car or truck.
Rangers in Far North Queensland tracked the juvenile male through the town of Mourilyan and shot him with a tranquilliser dart. The state's department of environment (DETSI) told Yahoo News the bird weighed in at 29kg when he came into care, but a more natural diet helped him put on an extra 6kg by his release date on April 10.
Footage released by DETSI on Monday shows the tense moment the cassowary was set free into Wooroonooran National Park. Two rangers stand at the ready with specialised tools to guide it into the scrub, while others hold cameras. After the door is opened, the bird takes a moment to survey the surrounding bushland and then darts forward out of the box without the need for encouragement.
'With cassowaries, we're often dealing with a lot of road fatalities and dog attacks. So to see one coming from poor habitat and be released into national park is definitely positive,' senior wildlife ranger Alex Diczbalis told Yahoo.
In a separate incident, 80km south in Cardwell, a 55kg male had learned to associate humans with food, prompting aggressive behaviour. Residents had been locking themselves in their homes after the bird kicked a man, sending him to hospital.
That bird has since been relocated and is adjusting well to his new surroundings away from humans.
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Only around 4,000 southern cassowaries are thought to remain in Australia, and the species is threatened by habitat destruction, vehicle strikes, dog attacks and climate change.
The birds, which can weigh up to 75kg, play an important role in keeping Australia's tropical forests healthy, so it's crucial they are eating a natural diet. It's hoped both newly relocated birds, including the juvenile, will now lead a wild existence.
'Recent site visits have confirmed that the cassowary is foraging well and fulfilling its vital role in seed dispersal and rainforest regeneration. We hope the cassowary will thrive, and in time father its own chicks.' Diczbalis said in a statement.
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