Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary cassowary chicks, Cooberie Park

[Chlidonias]

I've never heard of this place before but:
Cassowary breeding hatches more success - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

A central Queensland wildlife sanctuary says its southern cassowary breeding program is enjoying continued success, with the hatching of two new chicks.

Cooberie Park spokesman Kieron Smedley says a total of six chicks have been bred at the park in the past four years.

He says there are only about 1,500 southern cassowaries left in the wild and the park's breeding work is extremely important.

"The cassowary pair that we have currently live in the largest display enclosure for cassowaries in the world and that's about two acres in size and it's got a natural river that goes through it and the cassowaries just get left alone to their own devices and that's one of the reasons why they do breed," he said.

He says the number of cassowaries left in the wild is because their natural habitat has declined.

"They will be moved to another institution in Australia to either join their breeding programs or join their front of house conservation programs," he said.

"The cassowaries that we breed here, generally they are front of house ambassadors because they are very, very friendly."

 

[Sid the gos]

Unless they have swapped one, they are both Cairns Zoo chicks!!.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Unless they have swapped one, they are both Cairns Zoo chicks!!.

Please explain..........?

 

[Sid the gos]

Sorry I could have put it better than that, both of those parents are from the same parents at Cairns Zoo. That pair at Cairns are not part of the breeding plan as one of those adults is of unknown origin, so I would imagine those two at Cooberi are pumping out inbred mongerls unless one has been swapped!!.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Thanks - yes, I believe that the Cooberrie pair are brother/sister so the chicks are inbred. Not sure that makes them mongrels though!

You might be surprised at how many inbred Cassowarys are being/have been produced in Australia.

 

[CGSwans]

Would certainly be desirable to avoid breeding more from them though.

Are cassowaries in the plan, Steve?

 

[Steve Robinson]

Would certainly be desirable to avoid breeding more from them though.

Are cassowaries in the plan, Steve?

We were offered these chicks about a fortnight ago but this species is not in our Plan.

Like Tasmanian Devils, we consider that the DDZ is not climatically suited to the species.

 

[MRJ]

Would certainly be desirable to avoid breeding more from them though.?

One thing to remember is that two inbred animals that are not related to each other will produce offspring that are not inbred. Therefore inbred animals need not be excluded simply because they are inbred. However of course inbred animals may have other problems that limit their use as breeding animals.