Date:

Wednesday 18 June 2008

Time:

5.30pm for wine and cheese, lecture starts at 6.00pm

Location:

Crowther Lecture Theatre (A3), JCU Smithfield campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, CAIRNS

Summary:

The current knowledge of cassowary populations in the Wet Tropics coastal area is summarised in this lecture and the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation due to coastal development is discussed. The likely impact of climate change on already stressed remnant populations is also explored, based on the cassowary’s life history parameters. It’s not looking good!

Climate change is predicted to increase the intensity of cyclones in our region. With this in mind, what can we learn from the impact of Cyclone Larry on the Mission Beach cassowary population? Can we use this information to help us predict the future for the coast cassowary population?

Speakers:

Dr Les Moore

Les Moore is a wildlife ecologist. With extensive Australia-wide expertise in the research and management of endangered species of birds and mammals, he first started working on cassowaries in 1988 while with CSIRO. Les is a researcher at JCU currently focusing on developing cassowary road management strategies for the Mission Beach area.

Dr Nicky Moore

Nicky Moore is a rainforest ecologist with a strong background in environmental planning and natural resource management. She lectures in these areas at JCU.

Presented by:

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Information Technology

Contact:

Everyone welcome. For further information and to RSVP for catering purposes, please contact Sue Kelly, Tel: (07) 4042 1456 or E-mail: susan.kelly@jcu.edu.au