Resort not
the place for cassowaries
Steven Garrad – ARF
Community Conservation Officer, Mission Beach
Recent visitors to a Mission Beach
resort found they were sharing the grounds, pool surrounds, dining
deck and in fact everywhere around the complex with a sub-adult
cassowary dubbed Rodney by the resort manager.
Rodney has been visiting the resort for some years and while
once he would once wander around the perimeter emitting a somewhat
plaintive call in the hope of a feed, this spring saw a new Rodney
emerge from the fringing rainforest demonstrating a pushy teenager
attitude striding up to visitors and staff and finding the food
on room service trays quite to his liking.
This behaviour then
escalated to a point where the breakfast deck was cleared as
diners scattered before Rodney who was striding about the tables
and to the buffet.
The resort reported the bird to the Queensland
Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) who were quick to assemble
a team, capture and remove Rodney with the minimum of fuss and
in time for preparations for two weddings planned at the resort
that weekend to not have counter-cassowary measures in place!
Rodney
is now at the ARF sponsored Garners Beach Cassowary Rehabilitation
Facility, putting on weight and undergoing various treatments
against parasites. He is also learning that approaching people
is not a good idea and is breaking the association of food with
humans.
A closer inspection by the Vet has revealed
that Rodney is actually a she rather than a he – maybe
we should be calling her Rodwena!
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