Birds are little too friendly

A FAR North wildlife organisation is concerned cassowaries are becoming too comfortable around humans following another recent strike and death of the endangered bird.

A female cassowary was hit by a vehicle on Bingil Bay Rd, north of Mission Beach before 7am on Wednesday.

Department of Environment officers and a local vet attended to the injured bird, but decided to euthanise after assessing her injuries as severe.

While there was no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the motorist, Mission Beach Wildcare owner Steve McGuinness said the cassowary should never have been anywhere near a settled area.

“Cassowaries should be afraid of people, yet they’re getting comfortable being around us because they’re getting food,” he said.

Mr McGuinness said passers-by on Wednesday stated the now dead bird was “their friendly cassowary”, and that it had been fed a lot of bananas.

“And the more it happens, the more people try to help, and the more comfortable they become.”