I know ostriches and emus have their moments, but cassowaries are an extremely, extremely dangerous bird. вЂњIвЂ™ve had them killed by alligators and snakes but never by a bird like that. вЂњIвЂ™ve been doing this for 18 years and IвЂ™ve never had a thing like this,вЂќ he said. HajosвЂ™s son did not respond to messages seeking comment on Tuesday.

The authorities in Alachua County on Tuesday expressed almost universal surprise at both their presence in the county and their role in a local death. The birds are indigenous to Australia and Southeast Asia, not Florida. According to Scientific American, the last recorded cassowary-on-human killing happened in April 1926, when a bird slit the throat of a 16-year-old boy in Australia who had fallen while running from it. вЂњIt may be they saw him fall and had an opportunity and decided to attack.вЂќД¬assowaries have a violent reputation but human fatalities appear to be rare. вЂњMy understanding is these birds are fairly shy around humans but if they are provoked or they have an opportunity they will be very aggressive,вЂќ Mr. Their two muscular legs each sport one dangerous claw up to five inches long. Their bright blue faces are topped with a hornlike ridge and their bodies, which can weigh up to 130 pounds, are covered with dark feathers. They have an almost prehistoric appearance. Cassowaries are emu-like birds that can stand up to six and a half feet tall.

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