Claws like daggers Giant birds harass campers in Australia
Helmeted cassowaries are the third largest birds in the world. The ratites, also known as "living dinosaurs", have existed on earth for millions of years. Today they are threatened with extinction and only live in the state of Queensland and in Papua New Guinea. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
The claws of cassowaries are as sharp as a dagger. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Helmeted cassowaries are the third largest birds in the world. The ratites, also known as "living dinosaurs", have existed on earth for millions of years. Today they are threatened with extinction and only live in the state of Queensland and in Papua New Guinea. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
The claws of cassowaries are as sharp as a dagger. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Encounters with cassowaries in the rainforest are the exception rather than the rule. At a campsite in the tropical north-east of Australia, however, a few specimens have lost all shyness. Rangers are worried.
28.08.2024, 05:43
28.08.2024, 08:05
dpa
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- At a popular campsite in Australia, cassowaries have dangerously approached tourists and snatched food from their hands and plates.
- Although the ratites rarely attack humans, they can cause potentially fatal injuries, especially to children.
- The third largest birds in the world are not aggressive, but may panic and fight back if they feel threatened.
- Cassowaries are threatened with extinction.
- Deliberately feeding cassowaries is illegal in Queensland and is punishable by a maximum fine of almost 3,700 Swiss francs.
At a popular campsite in the Australian state of Queensland, a pair of brazen cassowaries are causing the authorities concern. The powerful, endangered ratites have recently been dangerously approaching tourists at the campsite in Murray Falls in Girramay National Park, even snatching food from their hands and plates, according to local game warden Alex Diczbalis, quoted by Australian broadcaster ABC.
"We have observed two birds working together and making their rounds of the campsite in search of easy-to-catch food," he said. The behavior is a sign that the flightless Helmeted Cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) have learned to view humans on the site as a reliable food source. However, this could have devastating consequences.
Claw can kill humans
Although the prehistoric-looking cassowaries rarely attack humans, they can cause potentially fatal injuries, especially to children. Although they are not aggressive, they can panic and fight back if they feel threatened, says environmental scientist Peter Valentine from James Cook University. "They have a very well-developed claw on their feet that acts like a stabbing weapon and is capable of penetrating human bodies from some distance."
Deliberately feeding cassowaries is illegal in Queensland and carries a maximum fine of almost 3,700 Swiss francs. "It's really important that these birds are in the rainforest and eat real rainforest fruit," emphasized Diczbalis. This is because they usually excrete the seeds undamaged and ensure that they spread. This means that cassowaries play an indispensable role in the rainforest. Fruit is definitely more suitable food for them than sausages from the barbecue, added the gamekeeper.
The helmeted cassowary is the third largest bird in the world after the ostrich and the emu. Adult animals are up to 1.70 meters tall and can weigh up to 70 kilograms. The helmet-like horn on the head, a bright blue head and neck and the long, dagger-like claws are striking.