Overview

• Security footage released June 18 shows a mother and child fending off a habituated male cassowary and its chick outside a Mission Beach home on May 9.
• Wildlife rangers link the rise in bold cassowary behavior to humans unlawfully feeding the birds and drawing them into residential areas.
• Cassowaries can deliver serious injuries with powerful kicks and claw strikes, especially when defending their chicks.
• The Queensland Government Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation unveiled new signage and educational outreach as part of the Be-cass-o-wary campaign.
• Authorities warn residents to never feed or approach cassowaries, to slow down near their habitats, and to keep pets leashed for safety.