Cassowary stalking bushwalkers

Footage showing a cassowary stalking a group of bushwalkers along a Far North Queensland walking track.

Senior wildlife officer Dinouk Perera, from the Department of Environment and Science, believes that the bird has probably become used to being fed by humans.

Mr Perera says Cassowaries are unpredictable, potentially dangerous animals and habituated birds have been known to act aggressively and lash out if they don't receive a feed when confronting people in the forest.

 

Conservation of the snapping turtle in Queensland

Queensland's critically endangered white-throated snapping turtle is in the process of being brought back from the edge of extinction with the help of volunteers.

The species, native to the Burnett, Mary and Fitzroy River catchments along the central and southern Queensland coasts are having their eggs collected.

The volunteers then move the eggs into protective electrified cages to keep them safe from feral pigs, foxes and cattle.

 

Queensland man officially the oldest living Australian in history

Queensland man Dexter Kruger has officially become the oldest living Australian in history celebrating 111 years and 24 days of life at his home in Roma. Mr Kruger born in nineteen ten, celebrated the milestone with family and friends before Defence Minister Peter Dutton visited him asking for the secret to a long life. Mr Kruger says to find something you like and do it well. He set himself a goal when he was quite young and achieved it.

 

More than half of adolescents practice poor hand hygiene

A new global study involving University of Queensland researchers has found more than half of adolescents are practising poor hand hygiene. UQ’s Institute for Social Science Research Doctor Yaqoot Fatima says that due to COVID-19 there is a renewed emphasis on adequate hand hygiene and results show that globally, adolescents practice poor hand hygiene. 354,422 adolescents aged 13 to 17 were examined by researchers who used data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey.

 

Brisbane workers staying home despite restrictions easing

While most Queenslanders are returning to the office as COVID restrictions continue to ease, new Google mobility data shows Brisbane workers are staying home, with office visit numbers remaining well below pre-COVID levels. In contrast, the data shows the majority of Queenslanders are still avoiding public transport, with only Noosa, Townsville and Mackay’s bus networks back to normal levels. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the state government are trying to coax inner-city workers back into the office in a bid to revive the struggling CBD business ecosystem.

 

New extinct species of crocodile found

The skull of an 8 million-year-old crocodile found in the Northern Territory in 2009 is now thought to be part of a new extinct species scientists never previously knew existed. Dr Adam Yates, senior curator of Earth Sciences at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, says the fossil is the best specimen ever found of a crocodile from the extinct Baru genus. He also says the find, 200 kilometres from Alice Springs, also shows Central Australia once had a river system capable of supporting life.