In The Kingdom Of The Cassowaries - A Huge Bird Fights For Its Forest (38/268)

In The Kingdom Of The Cassowaries - A Huge Bird Fights For Its Forest (38/268)

Every tourist in Australia who travels through Queensland knows the black and yellow warning sign "Caution cassowary crossing". The sign is a warning that a bird may suddenly cross the road. Related to the kiwi and the ostrich, the cassowary is all of 190 cms tall. The very idea of having such a monster bird suddenly sitting on the bonnet of the car is terrifying for us, as it is for the inhabitants of Mission Beach and other cities along the Daintree rainforest, for the cassowary is not only huge but also dangerous and clever. He knows that where there are people there is food. Biologists call him the "helmet cassowary" because he has a helmet-like casque on his head. Together with the gleaming blue colour of his throat and the red flaps of skin, it gives him a majestic appearance. One kick from a cassowary that feels threatened can be extremely dangerous for any human: "Caution, cassowary!" Since the cities in Australia have encroached ever further into the rainforest, it now happens repeatedly that people find themselves facing a cassowary in the middle of a city. The Aborigines lived in harmony with this huge flightless bird for thousands of years. In only 200 years the white man has almost managed to wipe out the bird. The film-maker shows us the life of the cassowary as it is today and describes the attempts that are being made to give it another chance.

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