Cassowary: These seemingly harmless close cousins of dinosaurs can be dangerous!
We have all come across harmless-looking animals that end up being extremely ferocious. Haven’t we? Well, cassowary, a flightless species of bird, native to Australia and New Guinea, is one such creature. They are believed to be the close cousins of dinosaurs. In fact, a recent discovery has revealed that they resemble an an ancient species of dinosaur called Corythoraptor jacobsi. Though rarely sighted, this rather shy bird, which can be compared to an ostrich, can be dangerous to humans. An average cassowary can grow as tall as six feet and weigh as much as 200 pounds. It can run extremely fast, reaching the speeds of 50 kmph effortlessly!
Why do cassowaries turn violent?
To understand why cassowaries are as dangerous, let’s understand a little about the history between this bird and humans. This will give you a better idea of why cassowaries behave the way they do. Over 40,000 years ago, when the aboriginals (earliest residents) arrived in New Guinea, they found these towering birds roaming freely and tried to domesticate them, stealing their eggs for consumption. They also relished cassowary meat as a delicacy, often using it as a sacrificial offering along with its feathers. These experiences, along with the natural instinct of the bird, make cassowaries particularly violent towards humans.
How do they attack?
The cassowary mostly keeps to itself and is very shy. While this is primarily true, it can turn very aggressive when it feels threatened or intimidated by humans. We’ve already talked about the size and speed of the bird. Both these factors make them fearful opponents of humans. In addition to their ability to outrun humans, cassowaries can swim, making them equally powerful in water!
The cassowary uses three major weapons against its attacker. The first would be the strong legs, which are used to run, jump and kick. The kick of a cassowary can seriously injure anyone. The second weapon is the beak. However, most accidents and deaths occur when the cassowary uses its talons. Almost all cassowaries use their lightning speed and talons to attack first. The talon, which measures up to four inches, can tear into human flesh and cause serious damage.
So they are tall, can outrunn humans and jumping in the water is not an option because they know how to swim! The best option would be to steer clear off a cassowari’s path if you happen to come across one.
The history of cassowary attacks
A 2006 study published in the journal Journal of Zoology reveals quite a few alarming facts about cassowary attacks. Here are they:
- There have been 221 observed cassowary attacks and 150 among them were against human beings
- 75% of cassowary attacks were triggered by humans feeding the birds
- They used their claws in only 15% of cases
- 7 cassowary attacks resulted in serious injuries, a single attack led to a fatality