After hatching, the chicks are cared for by both parents. The chicks are precocial, meaning that they are able to walk and feed themselves soon after hatching. However, they stay with their parents for up to two years, learning how to survive in the wild.
Cassowaries reach sexual maturity at around three years of age. They can live for up to 50 years in the wild.
Here is a more detailed look at the cassowary's life cycle:
* Egg-laying: Cassowaries lay their eggs in a large, communal nest that is built on the ground. The nest is made of leaves, sticks, and other plant material.
* Incubation: The eggs are incubated by the male for about 50 days. The male will sit on the nest for long periods of time, only getting up to eat and drink.
* Hatching: The chicks hatch after about 50 days. The chicks are precocial, meaning that they are able to walk and feed themselves soon after hatching.
* Chicks: The chicks are cared for by both parents. The chicks stay with their parents for up to two years, learning how to survive in the wild.
* Sexual maturity: Cassowaries reach sexual maturity at around three years of age.
* Lifespan: Cassowaries can live for up to 50 years in the wild.
Cassowaries are an important part of the ecosystem in which they live. They play a role in seed dispersal and help to control the populations of other animals.