A Cassowary is a giant bird with claws on each foot, and it killed its owner in Florida after he fell in the backyard authorities say.
The large birds owner Marvin Hajos, 75, made the initial call according to WCJB at about 10 a.m. EST. A second call came from another person at the scene who reported a medical emergency involving a large bird, Lt. Joshua Crews of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said.
Hajos’ was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died. The cassowary remains on Hajos’ property as authorities conduct an investigation into the attack, he said.
So for all of the gun control advocates out there, would this man have been alive had he of had a gun, that answer is a resounding yes.
The owner was a breeder of the rare bird that is native to Australia and New Guinea, Alachua County Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Taylor said
The death is being ruled an accident officials say. It appears the man fell, and the Cassowary attacked him after the fall, Taylor said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considers cassowaries Class II wildlife, meaning they pose a danger to humans and are subject to specific cage requirements. Owners must also have “substantial experience” with the animals, the commission says.Class II is the same category as alligators, honey badgers and clouded leopards, while Class I includes more traditional predators such as a lions, tigers and bears.
The cassowary is a “large, flightless bird most closely related to the emu,” according to the San Diego Zoo. It can run up to 31 mph through dense underbrush, jump almost 7 feet into the air and is a skilled swimmer, so it can deftly fend off threats, the zoo says.
You can read more from our friends over at CNN.
