Injured cassowaries may have to be euthanised despite the state government announcing interim funding for a far north Queensland rehabilitation centre on the brink of closure.
Up to $50,000 has been allotted to keep the Garners Beach Rehabilitation Centre at Mission Beach open for three months while the government searches for a new organisation to run the program.
But only chicks will be accepted during that time and none of the funding will go towards reinstating rangers, who have helped vets pick up birds in the past.
Local vet Graham Lauridsen said he could be forced to euthanise adults on the roadside.
He has the equipment to pick up chicks but does not have 24-hour access to the centre.
"They (the birds) will have a centre but no way of getting them there," he told AAP.
Even if the centre was to accept adults, Dr Lauridsen said he does not have the equipment to transport them safely.
He has emailed the Department of Heritage Protection to highlight what he says are inaccuracies in a release announcing the funding, including that Rainforest Rescue had not been accepting adult birds.
"There was an adult bird in there as recently as eight weeks ago," he says in the email.
"The bird has since been seen mating with another cassowary on land close to where it was re-released."
The department has been contacted for clarification.
Rainforest Rescue has been managing the centre since June 2014 but raised only $20,000 towards running costs.
It announced last month the centre would close once three chicks now in its care could be released.
The state government said it will take expressions of interest from organisations wanting to manage the centre in the long-term.
"Cassowaries are an extremely important species in far north Queensland for world heritage rainforests and tourism," Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Steven Miles said.
"It is important we work with the community to protect them."
Between 1000 and 4000 cassowaries live in the far north.
Dr Lauridsen estimates about 50 birds have been returned to the wild since the program started in 2001.
It is thought nine have died on roads this year.
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