Turds # 2

A large “healthy” Cassowary turd filled with many viable seeds that will either grow into new plants or be eaten by other wildlife.

The “grey matter” is probably the digested soft pulp that the gut of the Cassowary has rasped from the seeds. There may be considerable clay and gravel that aids in this and the digestive process.

Turds #2

It’s a good thing Cassowaries don’t fly! I just washed my car! This offering weighed almost half a kilo. That’s about a pound. Readers of this blog will recall the “Cassowary poo” item that appeared in July 2007. But this new “deposit” is worth noting again. Cassowaries are important in moving the seeds a fruits of rainforest trees to new sites. A number of plants need to have their seeds “processed” through the gut of Cassowaries in order for them to germinate. In addition, the “husked” seeds are used as food by birds and rodents. All are important parts of the rainforest web-of-life.