Cassowary eggs laid at Adelaide Zoo for first time in 34 years
A female cassowary laid two eggs at Adelaide Zoo, a first breeding success since 1992.
Two bright green eggs at Adelaide Zoo are a quiet celebration for a species fighting to survive. Martina, a 10-year-old cassowary, laid them.
Staff introduced her to Jeffrey, a 13-year-old male, in August. The two hit it off right away.
When they met, Jeffrey began grooming Martina. They mated multiple times.
Zoo director Chad Crittle compared the effort to online dating. You can match two birds on paper.
But "when you actually meet, it doesn't always work". Cassowaries are massive flightless birds.
They are native to Queensland's rainforests. They weigh up to 175 pounds.
They stand more than five feet tall. Southern cassowaries are endangered in Australia, with only about 4,400 left.
They are at risk from vehicle strikes, poaching, dog attacks and competition with feral pigs. Jeffrey will now incubate the eggs, which should hatch in about 50 days.
- 34 years since last successful eggs
- Years without breeding
- Martina is 10 years old
- Females age
- Jeffrey is 13 years old
- Males age
- About 4,400 left in Australia
- Wild population
Why it mattersEvery breeding cassowary in captivity strengthens the genetic safety net for a species facing extinction in the wild.
AustraliaAustralia's endangered cassowary population could benefit if these eggs hatch; Adelaide Zoo's success offers hope for captive breeding programs across the country.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 d ago
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