The Future Southern Cassowary

The southern cassowary is a flightless, fruit eating bird that lives in the tropical rainforests of Northern Australia. They are prehistoric and use their long casques on top of their heads, like tall flat hats, to hear sounds far away through the thick jungle. They are solitary. The mom leaves while the dad takes care of the eggs. In 1,000 years, sea-level rise will turn the rainforest into a wetland and deforestation for building cities will clear most trees. Cassowaries will develop fins to dive and swim, and since fruit trees might be scarce, their diet will change to small fish and insects. With a small habitat and because they will probably spend more time together in groups, their casques will be unnecessary and disappear. Female cassowaries will join the males in protecting the eggs which might get eaten by a greater number of predators like snakes and alligators.