Cassowary videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p9HbI0dV9E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=_Bspj6pVsOU

Well these are my mine, and I live in the US, but you practically can't get them in a sense because there are simply none left. I've been doing research on them in the US for yrs, and including mine, there are less than 30 left in the US between private keepers and zoos, and im one of 4 successfully breeding them. It's quite sad really, I wish more people would have taken interest in them before they got to this point. They are too far gone now to replenish despite what we hatch. The gene pool in the US is too small, and it wont be long before what we have left are either inbred out or die out of age. Most private keepers I have found only have one or two birds of one sex and still refuse to sale them to a greater cause. And yes, some areas require permits, but not many...they are still considered by the USDA as livestock in the same category as Ostrich, Emus, and Rheas...only Cassowaries were never bred for meat, strictly ornamental and zoological purposes.

There isnt enough of them in Europe for me to specify a gene pool, but what exactly are you asking? I know here in the US, the birds all originated from Australia according to the recent DNA research done on the known birds...which are less than 30. There are at least 7 different gene pools here that I know of. But sadly only myself, and 3 other guys are successfully breeding them in the US. Europe has less of them than any other continent. There are a few zoos there with Double Wattles, and in Germany at Walsrode bird park, they have one pair of SIngle Wattles that they just placed together. In the Netherlands and Parrot park, they have 3 Dwarfs, all the same sex. Not many zoos are successfully breeding them except in Asia, in areas like the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, etc.. And I only know of one zoo in each of those countries producing them in small quantity. They are very different from other ratites because they are solitary animals. They absolutely have to be separated seasonally. And can only be put together during breeding season. They need constant shade, cant tolerate severe winters or cold climates without shelter and possibly need heat. Also the biggest issue with breeding them is finding a compatible pair. They will not breed with just any other Cassowary of the opposite sex. I have one female that im still trying to find a suitable male for...The problem is, that these birds are so rare, there are not many choices. Most of the eggs are infertile, but between my friend and I, we do hatch some every year. As far as Single Wattles and Dwarfs, they are basically not being bred in captivity. There are no Dwarfs left in the US, and only 3 Single Wattles are here, which belong to my friend. Two were recently imported, and arent of breeding age yet.

It is possible depending on the country of origin, and if you can find them at all. Papua New Guinea has a ban on exporting them which is absolutely ignorant and idiotic. So many breeders like myself would have already imported several...along with zoos around the world for breeding and preserving the species, but instead they just allow their natives to kill and eat them as much as they like with no limits. Same thing goes for many other very rare and soon to be wiped out species, such as the birds of paradise, which their natives kill simply for the feathers as head dresses, but they will not allow any of them to leave the country for zoological purposes. And of course Australia dont export anything either, especially their Cassowaries, which they estimate are only around 1200 left. Once they are classified as endangered, and placed on the CITES list, they won't be allowed to be exported from any country, and they are done for.