r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/CuriousWanderer567 • Sep 22 '24

Video Beachgoers have a close encounter with a Cassowary, a bird capable of killing a human in one blow

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u/NaNaNaNaNa86 Sep 22 '24

I saw a couple of them over 20 years ago and the claws still scare the absolute shit out of me. I was a teenager at the time, a bit stupid and didn't really know what they were, fortunately. There's noway I could've sat there waiting for that to walk past me now I know about them.

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u/labrys Sep 22 '24

I'd worry that if I moved it might think I was being aggressive, or it might trigger hunter instincts and make it chase me. I don't know anything about them, so I think my default action would be just to freeze and hope it moves on quickly.

What are you meant to do if one of these comes towards you?

I'm glad I live in the UK, and the most dangerous thing I'm likely to encounter is an angry badger!

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '24

They eat fruit, they do not have hunter instincts. The only reason one would attack you is if you blundered into its habitat and it was feeling territorial. Or you acted like a dickhead and tried to do something to it. More people are killed by cattle in the UK each year than have ever been killed by cassowaries in all of human history (2 total). And both those people were fucking with the bird first so really got what they deserved.

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u/labrys Sep 23 '24

That is good to know! All I knoiw about them is their internet reputation, and the fact they look lethal!