Bandung, IndonesiaSentinel.com — Lurking in the dense forrest of Papua lived the dinosaur like bird, the Kasuari Bird. Not only considered an endemic species that held a significant role for the ecosystem, Kasuari symbolized the biodiversity while also becoming the icon of Papua.
The name Kasuari comes from the local language of Papua. The word “kasu” means horns, and “weri” means head, describing the horns seen in the head of this bird. The size of the horn of the Kasuari shows the age of the bird since it grows bigger along with the age. The horns also represent its position in Kasuari social strata.
Said to be one of the biggest birds in the world, this bird can reach 1,8 meters tall with 76 kg of weight. The bird cannot fly and roams the forest by walking on the ground with its two feet.
The bird walking and the footprint left by its three three-fingered feet resemble a dinosaur. It is said that the closest relative species to a dinosaur is a bird species. This bird also hasn’t evolved since 60 million years ago, which means there has been no change in the morfological features of the bird since.
Kasuari can be found inhabitating the Rainforest all across Papua, including Yapen and Aru Island. Since these birds cannot fly, they lived by eating fruits found on the forest floor. It tends to eat the fruits as a whole, resulting in the seed eaten coming along with its feces. This has allowed the seeds of the fruit to be spread all over the forest.
A study revealed that one pile of Kasuari feces contains a kilogram of seeds, coming from 78 different species of plants. The feces also serve as fertilizer for the seeds to grow into a plant. Thus, this bird is the agent of biodiversity, showing its significant role in the rain forest.
Unfortunately, human activities have disrupted the existence of Kasuari. Excessive hunting, land clearing, and reduced habitat have led this animal near extinction. Without the presence of Kasuari, the Papuan rainforest might not be as dense as it is now. Kasuari not only becomes the icon of Papua but also a guardian who keeps the forrest of Papua thrive.
(Raidi/Agung)
