birding-aus

Balding Cassowaries!

To: <>
Subject: Balding Cassowaries!
From: "Andrew Thelander" <>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 10:37:10 +1000
Happy New Year everyone!

 

A disturbing note to begin with.  There are reports of cassowaries in
Mission Beach losing their feathers.  The affected birds appear all to be
adult females and there is speculation that the cause is genetic and related
to inbreeding.  There is a female called Reggi now in captivity at Garners
Beach and she is nearly completely bald.  For those interested, I have
posted details and a poor quality photo of one of the afflicted wild females
on my blog:

 

  <http://last-birds.blogspot.com/> http://last-birds.blogspot.com/ 

 

This situation needs to be followed closely.  With our governments planning
large human population increases, the associated urban sprawls are likely to
further fragment bird habitat that may ultimately lead to localized
extinctions.  Look at the Albert lyrebirds on Mt Tamborine!  The double
whammy for all these birds is going to be the effects of climate change.  We
will certainly need government with backbone to preserve the birdscape for
future generations.

 

Regards

 

Andrew Thelander

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