From the Papuan words ‘Kasu’ (horned) and ‘Weri’ (head)

September 26, 2024 7:03 PM

September 26, 2024 is World Cassowary Day: Why the ‘world’s most dangerous bird’ is itself in danger.

The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation invites you to "Be ‘cass-o-wary’ on the road this World Cassowary Day."

posted by logicpunk (7 comments total)

I'm eye level with these birds in my wheelchair, which once resulted in a Southern Cassowary at the National Zoo in DC wanting to fight me. (I've also been attacked by a swan and chased out of the park, plus a rhinoceros hornbill tried to steal my pink Sanrio wallet when I was a kid in Japan.)
posted by Soliloquy at 8:03 PM on September 26 [2 favorites]

I was surprised to find that this wasn't posted by user chariot pulled by cassowaries, since they have the market cornered on nature posts, and, you know, ... the name. ;)
posted by fire, water, earth, air at 11:39 PM on September 26 [5 favorites]

In 2019, a man in Florida was killed by his pet cassowary.

It feels unfair to blame the cassowary for this one.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:35 AM on September 27 [5 favorites]

I think it was the Far Cry 3 videogame that had Cassowaries as one of the wild animals out in the island wildernesses. I was always amused that, in a game also featuring heavily armed mercenaries, leopards and Rhinos, the Cassowary was far and away the most dangerous foe in the game in terms of how often they killed me.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 5:10 AM on September 27 [2 favorites]

In 2019, a man in Florida was killed by his pet cassowary.

It feels unfair to blame the cassowary for this one.

I know that the Florida Man thing is beyond tired, but, I mean... pet cassowary is a combo of words that should never even be in adjacent time zones.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:59 AM on September 27 [5 favorites]

I was more thinking anyone who flies a cassowary across the globe to keep as a pet (in Florida or otherwise) is begging for a kicking. Cassowaries kick; it’s what they do. They don’t want to be there, after all.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:12 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

Cassowary: can I kick it?

MetaFilter: yes you can!
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:04 AM on September 27 [4 favorites]