Lesson in Fla. death: Beware a cassowary

A Florida man was killed by what ornithologists say is an extremely dangerous bird. It was a cassowary — an enormous, flightless bird around which even experienced zookeepers take precautions.

He raised the animal on his farm, along with other exotic birds, authorities said.

The man, who police identified as Marvin Hajos, 75, owned the farm where the cassowary was located and the attack took place. Emergency medical workers responded to a midmorning call on April 12 at a farm near Alachua, Fla., according to Lt. Josh Crews of the Alachua County Sheriff ’s Office.

Hajos fell, they said, and the bird attacked him, injuring him severely. He was transported to the hospital, where he died.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to his death.

A woman who identified herself as Hajos’ fiance told The Gainesville Sun “he was doing what he loved.”

The bird has been secured, authorities said. The Sheriff’s Office said they may coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission as the investigation moves forward. The FWC identifies cassowaries as “Class II Wildlife,” which can “pose a danger to people.” The commission requires a permit for the sale, public exhibition, or possession of these animals.

Cassowaries, of which there are three species, are native to the tropics of Queensland, Australia and New Guinea. They are a relative of ostriches, emus and rheas. Thick black feathers cover their bodies, from which a cobalt blue and vibrant red neck protrudes, leading to a head adorned with a keratin “casque,” or crest.

What makes them dangerous are their feet. Three toes have pointed nails, the most dangerous of which is the middle, which ends in a veritable dagger several inches long.

“If you were kicked by a cassowary with that nail, it would do a lot of damage to you,” said Eric Slovak, assistant curator of birds at the National Zoo in Washington. “You would wind up in the hospital for sure.”

Cassowaries, while dangerous, tend to be reclusive, Slovak said. In the wild, they hide deep in the rain forests, but they occasionally encounter humans when they come across a road or a neighborhood.

“It’s just kind of a big, 200-pound, 6-foot bird roaming around eating fruit all day,” Slovak said.

Slovak said the National Zoo takes serious precautions with the birds. Their enclosures were built with doors and gates to separate them from the humans who needed to enter.

“At no time, ever, do we ever go in with the cassowary,” he said. “Not because they’re mean, but because we know how dangerous they could be if they got spooked for any reason.”

“I would not understand why anyone would want to keep a cassowary as a pet,” Slovak added.