Casuarius casuarius

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	STRUTHIONIFORMES	CASUARIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Casuarius casuarius

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Southern Cassowary

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2cde+3cde+4cde ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J. & Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Bishop, K. & Westcott, D.

Justification:
This species is believed to have undergone a rapid decline in the last three generations (30 years) in Australia, and declines of a similar magnitude may have occurred elsewhere in its range, with local extirpation reported from parts of New Guinea. It is therefore classified as Vulnerable. However, the decline in Australia resulted from an extraordinary rate of habitat destruction which has virtually ceased. Further information from New Guinea may indicate that the species would be better listed as Near Threatened if hunting does not increase in the large areas of existing habitat there.

History:

2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Casuarius casuarius is found in New Guinea (Papua, formerly Irian Jaya, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), including the islands of Seram (where probably introduced) and Aru, and north-eastern Australia. It occurs throughout the lowlands of New Guinea except for the northern watershed from the Vogelkop to the Huon Peninsula^2,6. In Papua and adjacent islands, its status is unclear, but it may be more common than in Papua New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea, it has declined, and is now absent in some locations, including remote areas^4,6. In Australia, there are 3 subpopulations in Queensland. The southern and largest population ranges from the Paluma Range north of Townsville to Mt Amos. Two populations occur further north on Cape York Peninsula: one in the McIlwraith Range and north to the Pascoe River, the other in the Jardine River National Park and Heathland Resources Reserve¹¹. The Australian population was estimated to number c.1,500-2,500 birds in 2002, but it is declining^7,10.
Countries:	Native: Australia; Indonesia; Papua New Guinea
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Servcie (2002) estimated 1,500-2,500 individuals in 2002. No data are available for New Guinea.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is a solitary and sedentary inhabitant of rainforest, occasionally using adjacent savanna forests, mangroves and fruit plantations. Its diet largely comprises fallen fruit, although it is fairly undiscriminating⁷. It ranges between 0 m and 500 m in Papua New Guinea¹², and has been recorded up to 1,400 m in Australia.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	In Australia, it was historically threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. In Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, the species is heavily hunted, captured and traded close to populated areas, being of high cultural importance, and constituting a major food source for subsistence communities^2,4,6. This hunting and trade is not sustainable in many areas and has led to its extirpation from some sites, as the species is traded at a sub-national level to supply markets in more densely populated areas¹². Increasing human populations and the spread of shotguns used for hunting exacerbate hunting pressure on the species. However, although birds appear to be more common in unpopulated areas^3,5, they can apparently survive in some hunted areas¹, probably those where traditional hunting techniques predominate.

Major Threat(s):

In Australia, it was historically threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. In Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, the species is heavily hunted, captured and traded close to populated areas, being of high cultural importance, and constituting a major food source for subsistence communities^2,4,6. This hunting and trade is not sustainable in many areas and has led to its extirpation from some sites, as the species is traded at a sub-national level to supply markets in more densely populated areas¹². Increasing human populations and the spread of shotguns used for hunting exacerbate hunting pressure on the species. However, although birds appear to be more common in unpopulated areas^3,5, they can apparently survive in some hunted areas¹, probably those where traditional hunting techniques predominate.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway In Australia, programmes have been aimed at community education, localised habitat management, protection and revegetation, management plans for populations and high-risk individuals, surveys, survey and translocation methods, and habitat use. Most remaining habitat is within protected areas^7,8,9. A village based survey has been conducted in Papua New Guinea investigating sustainability of wildlife capture and trade¹². Conservation Actions Proposed In Indonesia and Papua New Guinea: Monitor populations in protected areas. Quantify the effects of hunting and logging. Promote community-based hunting restrictions. In Australia: Revise monitoring techniques. Research population dynamics. Study effects and role of disease. Prevent habitat clearance. Undertake dog and pig control areas of in dense populations⁷.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
In Australia, programmes have been aimed at community education, localised habitat management, protection and revegetation, management plans for populations and high-risk individuals, surveys, survey and translocation methods, and habitat use. Most remaining habitat is within protected areas^7,8,9. A village based survey has been conducted in Papua New Guinea investigating sustainability of wildlife capture and trade¹².

Conservation Actions Proposed
In Indonesia and Papua New Guinea: Monitor populations in protected areas. Quantify the effects of hunting and logging. Promote community-based hunting restrictions. In Australia: Revise monitoring techniques. Research population dynamics. Study effects and role of disease. Prevent habitat clearance. Undertake dog and pig control areas of in dense populations⁷.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Casuarius casuarius. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012.
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