Queensland scientists have created a new method of tracking cassowaries using mobile phones.
The University of Queensland (UQ) has launched a website where the public can upload photos taken from their mobile phone, as well as the GPS position of the flightless bird.
Senior UQ researcher Dr Hamish Campbell says the information will help scientists record important information about the rare animal.
“There really is an urgent need on ecological data on the birds, in particular looking at where the birds go, when they go there, why do they go there, and what the sort ecological strategies underpin movement patterns,” he said.
“The hope is that with the public’s help we can use this new technology.
“People have been recording identification on cassowaries for a long time but it is really difficult to use that as scientific data.
“We really need hard data, and with the iPhone we can really have a much more rigorous method of ID-ing animals and locations.”