Not all search and rescues of cassowaries end in a positive outcome.

There is a growing threat to many wildlife species, particularly those listed as threatened or endangered from the impacts of dogs. With dogs now been recognized as a listed one of three threatening processes to cassowaries’ future survival; we are gravely concerned with threats posed by landholders on residential, rural/residential, or rural properties with a ‘fashion’ of owning large, bodied dogs or multiple dogs that can form packs.

State Law requires fencing to keep dogs contained and when living adjourning protected areas does have negative impacts on native wildlife. Dogs barking, menacing, and chasing in play can be seen as life threatening to native wildlife who will not feel safe to feed or breed close to these threats. You can unwittingly miss out on much of the joy of experiencing wildlife encounters in your back yard.

There is also a growing trend of owning large, bodied dogs who are breed and taught to pigs’ hunt for sport. Not all these dogs are taught correctly, kept under effective control and some become lost in the rainforest on the hunt. This is a disaster for wildlife and many threatened species. With cassowary chicks being separated from the male often these chicks will perish.

The Wet Tropics bioregion boasts some of the most picturesque coastal beaches in the world!  Many communities have walking access to beaches and there are beaches designated for domestic dogs.  Outside of these designated areas, beaches provide habitat and nesting sites for local and migrating bird species.