Cassowaries Are Endangered.
The latest estimates suggest the total Australian population of the Southern Cassowary numbers could be as low as 1,500 adults.
Some of the many problems facing cassowaries are:
- loss of habitat through clearing for residential settlement and agricultural expansion
- fragmented habitat (especially from roads and subdivisions)
- vehicle traffic (road kills are the number one known cause of adult Cassowary deaths)
- dogs (especially aggressive to chicks and juveniles), and feral pigs (impact on their habitat)
Additionally, some birds have been shot in the past, even though this is illegal.
How will the funds be used?
- To create a revolving fund to purchase residential rainforest and/or adjacent land in the Mission Beach region; this is vital to the long-term survival of the endangered Southern Cassowary
- After purchase, C4 will place a legal covenant on the title deed (the Queensland Government's Land Titles Act enables landowners to place a legally binding Conservation Covenant on their land)
- Once the covenant has been placed on the land to ensure the perpetual availability of wildlife habitat, the land will then be resold for residential purposes, freeing up funds for further land purchases involving the same process as described above.
Key Areas of Expenditure
- Purchase of land and establishment of revolving fund
- Placing a Conservation Covenant upon the legal title of the land
- Legally enforcing covenants
- Helping to fund all of C4's on-going commitments to coastal and Cassowary conservation (e.g. revegetation projects, community education)
