…And in 2006 things got a whole lot worse for the Cassowaries of Mission Beach. A devastating cyclone destroyed their forest and with no food the hungry cassowaries were forced onto the streets and into peoples backyards. Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers race to save the birds from starvation and suburbia. With as few as 1500 birds left in the wild, every cassowary counts. But many birds fall victim to cars and dogs. The people too must be protected and cassowary relocations are heart-stopping, dangerous and action-packed.
The journey of the father and his young chicks is intimate and touching as we explore behaviour rarely seen and never-filmed before. The tiny adorable chicks have much to learn. As they grow older they play together in paper-bark swamps but soon the time comes when the father must banish them from his territory. Will there be enough rainforest for these young cassowaries to find territories of their own? The future of Australia’s Southern Cassowary has never been more uncertain.
AWARDS: Cassowaries won the “Prix du Jury” at Menigoute Film Festival, France and was awarded an honourable mention for conservation message at IWFF Missoula. It was a finalist at: VAASA Finland, Durban Wildtalk Africa, IWFF Missoula USA, Green Screen Germany, Matsalu Estonia, Vatavaran India. Cassowaries was invited to screen at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival Greece and Festival de L’Insolite France.
