Far North Queensland is cassowary country — home to around 4,400 of these incredible “rainforest dinosaurs.” Now, protecting them has become easier than ever thanks to a new upgrade to the Queensland Government’s QWildlife app.
Since its launch in 2020, QWildlife has been a popular tool for reporting crocodile and koala sightings and marine animal strandings. With its latest expansion, locals and visitors to the Wet Tropics can now report cassowary sightings in real time.
Cassowaries are more than just an FNQ icon — they are critical to rainforest health. Known as the “rainforest gardeners,” cassowaries disperse seeds that allow tropical forests to regenerate. But their survival is under constant threat from habitat loss, vehicle strikes, and dog attacks. That’s why every sighting matters.
The new app feature puts conservation directly into the community’s hands. With just a few taps, people can:
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Report sightings with photos, dates, times, and locations.
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Share details on size, behaviour, and health.
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Flag if a bird appears sick, injured, or abandoned, so rangers can respond quickly.
Every report contributes to a growing database, helping scientists and rangers better understand cassowary populations and respond faster when birds are in need.
This is a simple but powerful step forward for conservation in FNQ. Protecting cassowaries isn’t just about biodiversity — it’s about protecting an animal that draws people from across the world to our region, boosting tourism, culture, and pride in our natural environment.
The QWildlife app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Whether you live in FNQ or are just visiting, join the effort to protect these living fossils. And remember: be cass-o-wary. Admire cassowaries from a distance, and never approach or feed them.
Snap. Share. Save. Together, we can keep these ancient rainforest giants thriving for generations to come.
