- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold cassowary, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the cassowary
Cassowaries are large flightless birds of the genus Casuarius, native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, the Moluccas and northeastern Australia. Three species survive, and the southern cassowary is the fourth-tallest and third-heaviest living bird. Shy and hard to spot in deep forest, they can run at up to 50 km/h (30 mph) through dense growth and swim well. They feed on fallen fruit from at least 26 plant families, swallowing it whole and spreading seeds far across the forest floor. A skin-covered, keratinous casque grows on the head with age, and the inner toe carries a dagger-like claw that may reach 125 mm (5 in).
Cassowary facts
- Cassowaries have no tongue, and their pointed, robust beaks help them pick up fruit.
- Their feathers lack a preen gland, and the wings are reduced to stiff quills.
- Cassowaries can jump up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) and run at up to 50 km/h (30 mph) in dense forest.
- Seeds of the rare rainforest tree Ryparosa germinate far better after passing through a cassowary's gut.
Where to see cassowary in the U.S.
5 zoos across 5 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding cassowary by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds cassowary but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
California· 1
Iowa· 1
North Carolina· 1
Tennessee· 1
Texas· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
