Marvin Hajos loved exotic birds. He loved them so much that he collected them at his home in Florida, USA. As beautiful as his collection was, one of the birds proved to be his downfall. It attacked and killed him.

You may think that it is strange reading about a bird killing a human being. Usually it’s the other way around. However, one of Marvin’s collection was a Cassowary. It’s a bird you most certainly have to be wary of. The Cassowary is the third-largest bird in the world (the ostrich is the biggest, followed by the emu). Its name comes from two Papuan words: Kasu means horned, and weri means head.

The Cassowary can be found in Indonesia, New Guinea and North-East Australia. With its vivid blue face, red flaps of skin hanging beneath its neck and what looks like a Roman helmet on its head, it’s a very beautiful bird. Even though they can grow to be 1.8 metres tall and weigh up to 76 kilos, they are very shy birds that hide deep in tropical forests. If they sense there is any other living creature close to them, they will run and hide.

They certainly can run – and jump. They are able to reach speeds of nearly 50 kph and can jump just over two metres. It is their sensitivity and speed that can make them dangerous. If they feel trapped or threatened they will not hesitate to attack.

Perhaps the reason they feel confident enough to attack is the fact that their two feet each have three toes. The centre toe is about 10 centimetres long and has been described as being like a long murderous nail. With its strong and muscular leg, the Cassowary can deliver a powerful kick, making its middle toe a lethal weapon.

If that is not enough to scare you away, these flightless birds will also growl before they attack. It sounds like a deep rumble – similar to a hungry man’s stomach. Those who have been unfortunate enough to hear it have said it made every bone in their body shake.

Marvin Hajos was an experienced bird keeper. He knew how dangerous the Cassowary was. He also knew that a bird keeper required a permit if they wanted to own one. He may have known that they did not attack very often. The last reported case of a man being killed by a Cassowary dates back to 1926. There are, however, about 200 Cassowary attacks each year. Most of these are on people that try to get too close.

Following Marvin’s attack, he was able to telephone a friend asking him to call an ambulance. By the time the ambulance arrived, however, Marvin was dead.

Question:

Watch a Cassowary in action

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