Are cassowaries really monster killer-birds that disembowel people?

I was sailing through the gallery and came across this really cheesy looking animal park in Florida called "Jungle Island". Among other things they have a morbidly obese white-handed gibbon that looks like it is living a typical 21st-century American lifestyle, and an animal show that seems to involve audience interaction with a cassowary (http://www.zoochat.com/844/cassowary-volunteer-audience-75801/).

My first reaction to this was horror, knowing the cassowary's reputation as an extremely dangerous animal with the ability to velociraptor-like rip open people.

My friend Ian Robinson posted some data on the thread (in the comments section) indicating that there is only one known fatality caused by a cassowary, and that was a stupid teenager who had been torturing the animal.

Where do cassowaries get their fearsome reputation? Is it a media myth like piranhas, wolves, etc. where the actual animal's reputation as a fearsome beast does not match biological reality? Are there lots of cassowary related keeper attacks that have occurred in zoos?

 

A few years ago, a young trainee keeper was killed by a cassowary in an Us-Zoo and some tourists were also injured and even killed by tourists in the wild.

So not really tame or lovely birds...

 

Three comments occur:-

1. Personally, I would have had needed at least four beers before even THINKING of going on stage with a cassowary - they are not my idea of animals to get up close and personal with.

2. I wonder how many of the likely New Guinea casualties occurred as a result of hunting trips? Most animals will put up a fight when their lives are at stake!

3. Again, it doesn't strike me as good planning to have a young trainee keeper alone with a cassowary.

That said, I wouldn't dispute that these are beasts to treat with respect.

One parallel that does occur is with Black Rhino; as browsers, they are likely to be found in wooded country, where the chance of stumbling upon an animal by surprise is higher than in open country. We think of cassowaries and Black Rhino with more trepidation than we do Emu and White Rhino; is the preferred habitat a factor?

 

I have often wondered too how genuine the Cassowary's fearsome reputation is. I accept its strong feet and razor sharp claws are designed for defence, and the birds may be aggressive also. But how many incidents are, as Ian suggests- hunting related- simply the birds fighting back when cornered? I know they are regarded as dangerous in Zoos too, because of their (supposed?) aggression, and there have been accidents as mentioned, but is it common I wonder?

I would never ever trust one or want to go in with one, but apart from the claws and strong legs, are they that much more dangerous than the other ratites?

I have always believe Black Rhinos are more dangerous than whites because of their differing temperaments- Blacks seem more nervous, Whites more placid. As you suggest, the differing habitats they are usually found in may also play a part too.

 

Walter Rothschild, the founder of the Tring Zoological Museum, was obsessed with cassowaries and acquired more than sixty mounted cassowaries for his museum. (Only a few of these are currently on display in the museum.)

In addition to the museum specimens he also kept live cassowaries. Originally these birds were allowed to wander through the grounds of Tring Park. I am not aware of any attacks on people during this period but one attacked Walter’s father’s favourite horse; henceforth the cassowaries were confined to enclosures.

 

Never knew that- a very strange obsession indeed.

Still not doubting Cassowaries are(or can be) extremely dangerous in certain situations, but fact is often rather less interesting than fable.

 

I know this is just a typo but I'm much more scared of people in general than animals!

 

If I remember correctly, the trainee keeper has cleaned the emu exhibit with the emus in it and then, without the order and knowledge of the keeper, he started to clean also the cassowary exhibit, because he was thinking they are tame like the emus-he was wrong, but what's worse, he paid it with his life. Thats what I've read, but I can't remember in which zoo this tragedy has happend.

 

cassowaries may be more dangerous, but as there are many more Ostriches in captivity I think more people would have been killed by them. I only know one bloke who owns Ostriches and he was almost killed by one.

 

I suspect that cassowaries raised in zoos probably have no fear of humans, which would make them even more dangerous, especially a territorial species. I remember seeing a pair of cassowaries in the Toronto Zoo (Australian Pavilion); when the keeper walked down the corridor past the exhibit door the male's head appeared in the window and he started kicking the door with both feet. It was a metal door (probably for that reason) and had scratches and dents all over the bottom half of the exhibit side. The force he used to hit the door was quite powerful, and I have no doubt this bird would have been lethal had it ever escaped.

This was the most aggressive one I've seen. All the others in zoos seem to be as docile as emus or ostriches, but I'm not suggesting they should be treated as such.



Hix

 

Having worked with Cassowaries for a number of years, there is certainly a basis in truth for their reputation. Like many animals, however, it is probably overstated. They are generally considered the most dangerous bird in the world, but this only works as a comparison to other birds (which, as a group, are rarely a physical threat to humans).

It is the male Cassowary who maintains a permanent territory, incubates the eggs, and raises the chicks. For a male who is a successful breeder, he will be aggressive year round - defending his territory to attract a mate, protecting eggs, then chicks; only leaving them to fend for themselves when the cycle starts again.

This behavioral trait combined with the potential to seriously harm humans does create a dangerous combination.

It is our protocol that staff are never in direct contact with Cassowaries, except in specific situations such as critical vet treatment. Not because it can't be done (it can), or because it's not industry practice (it is probably done at the majority of holding institutions), but because it is simply not worth the risk.

The animal in the photo appears to be a female (backed up by being called 'Mama Cass' on their website), with which I would be quite comfortable working with - providing I knew the individual animal and she had been properly trained; they can easily become very stressed by new situations or changes to their environment if they have not been conditioned extremely well.