March 3, 2010
Rainforest Rescue is trying to buy their 12th Daintree Rainforest property to set aside for the cassowaries. While working with Steve to catch and relocate crocodiles involved in human conflicts, Bob and Steve came across all kinds of wildlife. Of particular interest to Bob was the Southern Cassowary. When Bob heard about Rainforest Rescue's latest endeavors, he sent this letter to Kelvin Davies who is spearheading the project:
Dear Kelvin,
I wanted to pass on an important message to your supporters as you embark on your campaign to buy back your twelfth property in the Daintree. Unfortunately, with the mindset in Australia at the moment, too many people seem to be more concerned with progress and greed than with our natural environment.
With only a thousand Cassowaries left in that part of Australia, I think that the Australian people must decide whether they really want to save the cassowary or not. Right now, Cassowaries are regarded as being endangered. I think that should be changed to critically endangered. Because when you get down to those low numbers it doesn’t take a great deal to tip them over the edge.
On my last trip to Far North Queensland, I was fortunate to see a female Cassowary feeding naturally in the rainforest, just near Mission Beach. It’s an amazing experience and I’d recommend it to any of your supporters who have the opportunity to see something so special.
Cassowaries are so important to our rainforest. They are the ones that spread the seeds and help to regenerate the rainforest after cyclones and fires and floods. If they disappear the rainforest will suffer the consequences and won’t regenerate the way it does at the moment. For me, that’s the role that the Cassowary plays.
We’ve got to give serious thought to further development and the destruction of Cassowary habitat and we’ve got to come to practical solutions for the animals that are getting hit and killed on the roads.
People have got to stop and think what they want to leave for their children. Do they want to see this land devastated and somebody stick up some motel unit? Or do we really want to leave them a future with all our beautiful native wildlife.
The wildlife we have here is unique to this country, you won’t find it anywhere else in the world, yet too many people seem to be losing respect for our environment. That’s a real worry. You know, mate, that’s why I think that buying back the Daintree is our best option at the moment. Once that land is secured, then we give the Cassowaries and other animals corridors to go safely from one part of the forest to another.
That’s why I think you, Kelvin, and your supporters at Rainforest Rescue are the answer to many of the problems up at the Daintree. So I'd encourage people to get one hundred per cent behind Rainforest Rescue because you’re doing so much great work.
And I think we've got to stay positive. You know, that’s the answer. It's no good throwing up your hands and saying, “Oh, I can't do this”. We've got to bite the bullet, get off our bums and actually get out there and do something ourselves. And that's what Rainforest Rescue and your supporters are doing. Good on you.
All the best, mate, with your campaign to raise money to buy back Lot 10 Milky Pine Road. I look forward to visiting it one day, and hopefully seeing a Cassowary enjoying that special part of the rainforest.
Good luck,
Bob Irwin
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