It has now been four months since three cassowary chicks came into our care at the Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre.

The chicks are rapidly growing and now eat around the equivalent of a nine-litre bucket of fruit twice a day! Their food intake has nearly doubled in three months.

Our carer Emily has said:

“I just wanted to let you know that the fridge is working wonderfully. I am now able to buy the fruit in bulk which is going to save a good deal of money. I have worked it out and calculated that I am saving roughly $50 – $70 dollars a week so far on fruit, buying it in bulk rather than in loose quantities each day. Imagine how much I’ll save when the chicks are larger!”

Help feed these chicks rapidly growing chicks

After a recent vet check-in, we are also adding a quality dog biscuit mix into their food to provide a higher quality protein source.

After his recent health check visit Graham the vet, reported “They are all very bright and alert, engaging in typical cassowary behaviour.

“One is growing faster than its sibling so we believe it might be a female. I will be able to confirm this at my next check-up”.

Health checks are critical – please pay for their next checkup.

The interactions Emily and Graham have with the chicks are kept to a minimum, their food is placed in a different place each feeding time, and their enclosure is screened with shade cloth (so they cannot see people outside the fence). These measures are essential to ensure they don’t become desensitised to humans.

They must maintain their wild traits if they are to be released into the wild when they are old enough to fend for themselves.

This will NOT be possible without your help though. We still have a long way to go before we reach our fundraising goal to ensure we can feed and care for these chicks. 

Please urgently donate to ensure they can be released into the wild again.