Bad news for us along Black Mountain Road, Kuranda on Sat March 10 was a report of a male Cassowary with a damaged leg, still with his two chicks and down amongst the houses nearer the main road, where he quite often visits (and where the two chicks from 2011 were killed by an uncontrolled and hastily relocated dog in July 2011, as we learned not too long ago).
This is very worrying, reports said his leg was swollen, and we did not see him at all on Sunday, when we had intermittent heavy rain all day. This morning Mar 12 he came in with the two 5 month babies, limping and with a nasty gash along the heel of his left leg. This has been sprayed with Betadine and did not look too swollen today, and QPWS are apparently pondering about bringing an antibiotic filled rat in addition in a bid to stave off infection (and perhaps avoid the sad fate of the famous Lake Barrine male years back, which got its foot run over and was left untreated, then had to be put down).
He is currently sat down in the bushes near the house with the two chicks, sheltering from the rain and not seeming too distressed beyond walking with a limp. We shall see. It looks like he must have hit some sharp metal or maybe glass, it’s a deep gash some 20 cm long but not bleeding. He has been coming here for getting on for 30 years and has a very good chick rearing rate, with the current two (out of 5 originally) due to be with him for another 4 months or so.
Phi & Sue Gregory Kuranda FNQ www. cassowary-house.com.au ===============================
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