The cassowary is considered the most dangerous bird in the world. The large, flightless bird, native to Australia and south-east Asia, has 4-inch long, dagger-like claws. It can inflict injuries with slashing blows of its feet. Besides, it has a reputation for aggressively defending itself when threatened.
Cassowaries are certainly striking to look at, with a vivid blue face, two red wattles (flaps of skin) hanging from their neck and a hollow “helmet”, known as a casque, atop their heads.
The anatomy that makes them so dangerous lies lower down. Muscular legs that can pack a powerful kick terminate with three claw-tipped toes. The claw on the inner toe is particularly formidable, reaching lengths of 12 cm (5 in)! If a cassowary feels threatened, it will leap up and strike out with these dagger-like weapons, inflicting potentially lethal wounds to internal organs and causing severe bleeding.
Although this avian family are widely considered the most dangerous birds, this is the first confirmed human death attributed to a cassowary in 93 years. The last-known victim was 16-year-old hunter Phillip McClean, who tripped while fleeing from a bird in Australia in April 1926. It was when McClean was on the ground that he received a fatal blow to the neck.
Credit : Guinness World Records
Picture Credit : Google