Cassowary

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cassowary

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Casuarius spp. (Casuarius casuarius, Casuarius unappendiculatus, Casuarius bennetti)
2. What is the lifespan?Estimated 40-50 years in the wild, potentially longer in captivity
3. What does a cassowary look like?Cassowaries are big, colorful birds with a helmet‑like casque on their heads and coarse, hair‑like feathers. They can run fast and have strong legs with sharp claws.
4. Why do cassowaries have a casque on their heads?Scientists think the casque might help them make louder sounds, keep warm, or show other birds who they are.

Keystone Species: A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, so that if it were removed, the ecosystem would change drastically.
Frugivore: An animal whose diet consists primarily of fruit.
Casque: A bony or keratinous structure on the head of certain birds, theorized to aid in thermoregulation, sound amplification, or display.