Possessing Powerful Leg Muscles and Sharp Claws
Currently Classified as an Endangered Species Due to Survival Threats
A cassowary, known as the world's most dangerous bird, was captured on video chasing a mother and child all the way to their front door, forcing them to hurriedly flee into their house. On June 26 (local time), the New York Post reported that in Queensland, Australia, a mother and her child felt their lives were in danger when a cassowary began pursuing them as they walked home.
In Queensland, Australia, a mother and child, startled upon spotting two cassowaries following them, hurriedly entered their house. Queensland Department of Environment and Science Innovation
In the footage reported, the child, startled, began to run, and quickly entered the house through the front door that the mother, who was walking ahead, had left open. The mother, noticing the cassowary only afterward, hurriedly closed the door, at which point the approaching cassowary finally stopped. Fortunately, thanks to their quick response, no major incident occurred. Cassowaries measure between 1.8 and 2 meters in length, with females weighing 70 kg and males 55 kg, making them the second largest bird after the ostrich. They can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h and are capable of jumping as high as 2 meters. They are also known to be excellent swimmers.
The cassowary, which inhabits only the rainforests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia, is named for the vivid purple skin on its neck and the red, hanging flesh, which is said to look as if it is "swallowing fire," hence the name meaning "fire-eating bird." Approximately 4,000 cassowaries live in Queensland, but their survival is under threat due to habitat destruction and vehicle collisions, and they are currently classified as an endangered species. Cassowaries breed only under specific environmental conditions, making it difficult to increase their population in captivity.
In Queensland, Australia, a mother and child, startled upon spotting two cassowaries following them, hurriedly entered their house. Queensland Department of Environment and Science Innovation
Meanwhile, last year, after more than 25 years of effort, a cassowary chick was born at the Avifauna Bird Park in the Netherlands, drawing attention. Each foot of a cassowary has three sharp claws, with the innermost claw reaching an impressive length of 12 cm. Because of this, in some regions, cassowaries are designated as dangerous animals, similar to crocodiles and leopards. They can inflict serious injuries on humans or pets, so extreme caution is required. In fact, in 2019, a man in his 70s was killed by a cassowary he kept on his private farm in Florida, United States.
In South Korea, it is known that there is currently one cassowary being kept at Seoul Grand Park and at a zoo in Hampyeong. In 1974, two cassowaries were brought into Changgyeongwon, but one died before 1986. Since then, only a male remained until 2016, when a pair of cassowaries was acquired in exchange for nine male lions and other animals from Dubai Safari in the United Arab Emirates.
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