Save the habitat of Australia's ancient Cassowaries

Southern Cassowaries have roamed far north Queensland's Wet Tropics for 60 million years and are an integral part of the area's delicate rainforest ecosystem. In fact, many seeds can't germinate until they have passed through the cassowary's belly.

Tragically, as few as 4000 of these amazing birds remain. On-going habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation from land clearing and pressure from urban development is putting these ancient native birds at risk, so much so they are listed as Endangered.

It's not too late to safeguard the future of Queensland's cassowaries. On 16 July, all of Australia's state and federal Environment Ministers and the Threatened Species Commissioner will gather in Melbourne for a Threatened Species Summit.

Minister Hunt has called the summit to ensure that "for the first time ever, threatened species will have an Australian Government policy framework with hard and measurable targets." It sounds great — a chance to address the big issues facing nature. But what if the real issues aren't even on the agenda?

Minister Hunt talks a lot about reducing the number of feral cats, and that is important, but unless we stop habitat loss and control global warming, our threatened species don't stand a chance.

Now is the time to speak out. Let's make sure all of Australia's environment ministers take their duty of care to protect life seriously.

Sign now and tell the ministers at the Threatened Species Summit: Our wildlife deserves urgent protection.

Your signature will be hand delivered at the Threatened Species Summit by Australian Conservation Foundation's CEO Kelly O'Shanassy.