WILDLIFE
Emu vs cassowary:
who would win?
It lives in the rainforests of Far North Queensland.
The southern cassowary is the only Australian cassowary species.
It fiercely guards its home against neighbouring cassowary competitors.
Emus are a nomadic species — they’ll live in most habitats, eat almost any food and travel between landscapes with ease.
The cassowary is a stocky powerhouse. Its height is similar to the emu, but it is much heavier,
weighing up to 80kg.
Cassowaries can be particularly territorial during mating seasons, where females fight for mates.
Cassowaries have three sharp claws, with the innermost one being a 12 centimetre long spike-like dagger.
With a ‘blade’ like that,
a cassowary’s kick can be fatal not just to emus but other predators too.
What an emu lacks in weight (30-40kg) it gains in speed.
Its nomadic lifestyle means there isn’t much to be gained by staying and fighting.
As urban development increases,
close encounters are more and more likely.
And while a cassowary might make short work of an emu
one on one
a solo cassowary is no match
for a mob of emus.
Both species breed in winter, with new fluffy babies at their heels in early spring.
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