Dwarf Cassowary
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| Dwarf Cassowary | ||||||||||||||
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| Casuarius bennetti Gould, 1857 |
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 Distribution of the Dwarf Cassowary
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The Dwarf Cassowary, Casuarius bennetti, also known as the Bennett's Cassowary, Mountain Cassowary or Mooruk, is the smallest of the three species of cassowaries. It is a large, up to 110cm (3.5ft) tall, flightless bird with hard and stiff black plumage, a low triangular casque, pink cheek and red patches of skin on its blue neck. The feet are large and powerful, equipped with dagger-like claws on the inner toe. Both sexes are similar. Females have longer casques, brighter bare skin color and are larger in size.
The Dwarf Cassowary is distributed throughout mountain forests of New Guinea, New Britain and Yapen Island. Its diet consists mainly of fruits and small animals. A solitary bird, it pairs only in breeding season.
The scientific name commemorates the Australian naturalist George Bennett. He was the first scientist to examine these birds after a few were brought to Australia aboard a ship. Recognising them as representing a new species of cassowary, he sent specimens back to England where this was confirmed.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, being hunted for food and often being kept in captivity, the Dwarf Cassowary is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Casuarius bennetti. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 31 October 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened
- George Bennett (1860), Gatherings of a naturalist in Australasia, John Van Voorst London
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
