The bird in question? Casuarius casuarius, the southern cassowary, fruit-eater-in-chief of Australia’s rain forests. Cassowaries are large, flightless birds related to emus and (more distantly ...

It is believed that less than 5,000 are still living in Australia ... of Environment, the birds are one of the few creatures that can gobble down and disperse large rainforest fruits.

Authorities have culled 2.4 million birds to try and control two large avian influenza outbreaks that have resulted in intermittent but ongoing egg shortages. So far Australia has managed to avoid ...