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Of the attacks, 73% involved the birds expecting or snatching food, 5% involved defending their natural food sources, 15% involved defending themselves, and 7% involved defending their chicks or eggs. Only one human death was reported among those 150 attacks. [75] The first documented human death caused by a cassowary was on April 6, 1926.
The cassowary appears to look at the camera several times, video footage shows. Its head has a mohawk-like helmet structure on top. Some pink and blue coloring is visible on its neck.
Documented cases of aggression from the cassowary have been used to study their behaviour. Most of these cases involve attacks on humans, and many others on domestic dogs. ... Like all animals ...
Only one human death was reported among those 150 attacks. [13] The first documented human death caused by a southern cassowary was on 6 April 1926. In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a southern cassowary on their property and decided to try and kill it by striking it with clubs.
A 2003 study of attacks by the southern cassowary in Queensland found no wounds larger than punctures about 1.5 centimetres in diameter. [9] Of 221 attacks studied, 150 were against humans. A total of 75% of these were from cassowaries that had been fed by people. In 71% of cases the bird chased or charged the victim. In 15% of cases they kicked.
As with other cassowaries, the northern cassowary is a shy and solitary bird. Their diet consists mainly of berries, [10] fruits [2] and small animals, such as mice, rats, frogs, snakes, lizards, smaller birds and a variety of small insects and snails. They will eat dead animals when they find them.
Fortunately, the cassowary isn’t known to be aggressive and will only attack if it feels the need to defend itself, its chicks, or its nest (via Scientific American). Image credits: an1malpulse #40
The cassowary has claws up to 125 mm (4.9 in) long. [56] Ostrom cited Gilliard (1958) in saying that they can sever an arm or disembowel a man. [57] Kofron (1999 and 2003) studied 241 documented cassowary attacks and found that one human and two dogs had been killed, but no evidence that cassowaries can disembowel or dismember other animals.