Rare and dangerous Australian newcomer at Debrecen Zoo 

After much preparation, a male Southern cassowary arrived at Debrecen from Lodz Zoo, Poland, on January 30 under a European Studbook (EAZA ESB) recommendation. With this transfer, the institution aims to achieve no less than the very first breeding success with the species in Hungary, so there are high hopes that the institution’s female will accept the dashing newcomer and we may report on breeding developments in the foreseeable future. Already exhibited in his own enclosure, the new male will turn 4 in May and currently is the 5^th individual in Hungarian zoos.

The second heaviest, third tallest and arguably the most dangerous bird on Earth, the Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is one of the three extant cassowary species native to tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia and Northwest Australia.

These unique and quite atavistic-looking dinosaur-like ratites play a vital role within their ecosystems since they contribute to vegetation growth by spreading the seeds of the fruits they eat; due to their sheer size, the fruits of over 70 indigenous tree species can only spread via these feathered giants.

Although generally wary of humans, they are easily provoked and can cause severe injuries with their beak, claws and keratinous “casque” – the latter also serving as a tool for battering through the undergrowth. In addition to habitat destruction due to agricultural and industrial activity,

Southern cassowaries are also threatened by dog attacks and car strikes and are therefore included in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, with only some 1500 individuals left in Australia.

The Debrecen Zoo has been home to this species for almost 20 years under the European Studbook (EAZA ESB).