Large bird attacks and kills its fallen owner in Florida

MSN,CBS,AP ^ | 4/14/2019 | not shown

[sodpoodle]

ALACHUA, Fla. (AP) — A large, flightless bird native to Australia and New Guinea attacked and killed its owner when the man fell on his property in Florida, authorities said Saturday.

The Alachua County Fire Rescue Department told the Gainesville Sun that a cassowary killed the man Friday on the property near Gainesville, likely using its long claws. The victim, whose name was not released, was apparently breeding the birds, state wildlife officials said.

[wastoute]

They lost the “Emu Wars”. Something to take into consideration right there.

[melsec]

You are spot on. They certainly have the capabilities to rip you open. They are still in the wild in Northern Queensland especially in the forests along the Cassowary Coast. You shouldnt go into those areas especially when the mothers have young.

[Texas Fossil]

Agree. Caution is in order for handling many wild animals. Humans unfamiliar to the risk can be badly hurt or killed by wild hogs. Wild ferrel hogs, if cornered, or if you threaten their offspring can cut you to pieces with their tusks. I once had to kill a sow who came after me for that reason. I've seen idiots move to crawl in pen with them, until someone stopped them. That ignorance can be fatal.

[melsec]

Haha well done!

[Anti-Bubba182]

Cassowary Claw:

[Godebert]

Claw of a Cassowary:

[fungoking]

“The victim, whose name was not released, was apparently breeding the birds...”

Thought I’d check the comments after reading that line.

Disappointed so far.

[bramps]

Powerful legs help the cassowary run up to 31 miles per hour (50 kph) through the dense forest underbrush”

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I wouldn’t be so quick to assume the guy simply ‘fell’ and was then attacked.

[freedomlover]

What IS the ground speed velocity of an unladen cassowary?

[Rockingham]

Supposedly, the damn things are especially dangerous when being fed because they are prone then to go into attack mode even without provocation. Although Australasian natives nevertheless managed to semi-domesticate the creatures as a food source by taking and raising them as chicks, they remained dangerous to keep.

[Pearls Before Swine]

I read the Wikipedia article on cassowaries. It sounds like the big danger from them is being kicked while one is down. The center claw is sharp and something like 5 inches long. A nasty puncture.

[CIB-173RDABN]

Survival rule number 1 - don’t own a “pet” that could kill you. /s

[Delta 21]

The're cute things, aint they?

[Delta 21]

Maybe the bird is muslem (New Zealand, RIGHT?) and is just doing what peaceful muslem birds do?

[super7man]

I expect Norski and Boomer will be here any minute.

[Delta 21]

Definitely sounds muslem.

[chris37]

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

LOLOL.. Thank you for that link. I had forgotten about that clip. Timeless!

[Delta 21]

Thats been legal in Floriduh for a while now, so......

[Rockingham]

We must hope then that the birds do not learn to construct IEDs.