{"id":8403,"date":"2023-09-26T23:00:43","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T23:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/cassowary-credit-scheme-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T01:32:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T01:32:44","slug":"cassowary-crossing-hotspots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/cassowary-crossing-hotspots\/","title":{"rendered":"Cassowary crossings improved"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/treetopsslider.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]CASSOWARY CROSSING HOTSPOTS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]IMPROVING HOTSPOTS FOR CASSOWARIES, DRIVERS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text el_class=”sub-head” css=”.vc_custom_1695769372491{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]27 SEPTEMBER 2023[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1695778313035{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Cassowary crossing hotspots on Mission Beach roads are now safer for the endangered birds and for drivers.<\/p>\n

Weeds have been replaced with cassowary food plants under the bridge at Wongaling Creek on the El Arish-Mission Beach Road and tall roadside grass is being regularly slashed and brush-cut at \u2018Garrett\u2019s Corridor\u2019 on the Tully-Mission Beach Road.<\/p>\n

Cassowaries crossing under bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Tony O\u2019Malley said the changes made it easier for cassowaries to cross under the bridge and avoid the busy road, and also more appealing for them to take that route, while at Garrett\u2019s Corridor it was easier for cassowaries and drivers to see, and avoid, each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cJames Cook University\u2019s recent cassowary vehicle strike social research project showed us we can\u2019t just rely on raising awareness in the community to reduce cassowary strikes – we have to change the roadside environment too,\u2019\u2019 Mr O\u2019Malley said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we formed a working group of Cassowary Recovery Team members and local organisations to investigate and agree on actions to improve safety for drivers and cassowaries at two crossing hotspots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drivers interviewed to learn about collisions<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the James Cook University study, drivers were interviewed about collisions with cassowaries and roadside camera footage was examined for a better understanding of both cassowary and driver behaviour.<\/p>\n

Researcher India Marshall said most drivers thought the accidents weren\u2019t due to their driving, although some people who witnessed collisions suggested otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe videos showed some careless driving but also variable cassowary reactions to vehicles, making it hard for drivers to prepare for interactions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrivers suggested that driver education would be effective. We can\u2019t rely solely on education to reduce strikes though, so changes to road environments are also needed, such as replacing weeds and hazardous trees at crossing zones with low-growing native plants.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working with community group C4\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM recently engaged Mission Beach organisation \u2018C4 \u2013 Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation\u2019 to improve the vegetation at two cassowary crossing hotspots, as part of Terrain\u2019s Building Rainforest Resilience Project. This project is supported by Terrain, through funding from the Australian Government\u2019s National Landcare Program.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1695770845090{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

C4 president Peter Rowles said it was important to maintain multiple options for birds to pass from one side of the road to the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t people see cassowaries crossing at Wongaling Creek as much anymore? It\u2019s not because there are no cassowaries there. They just do it better now by going under the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collaborative effort to improve hotspots<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cassowary Recovery Team Chair Scott Buchanan applauded the work of the recovery team and partners to improve safety at the cassowary crossing hotspots.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis work was led by Terrain NRM and it\u2019s through these community engagement processes that the best outcomes are achieved,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

For more information about the James Cook University study of driver behaviour, see this factsheet:<\/p>\n

Cassowary Vehicle Strike Research Findings<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

To report a cassowary incident, phone 1300 130 372.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/what-we-do\/waterway-health\/murray-and-mossman\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1598408950187{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

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