Species Spotlight: Meet the Deadliest Bird on the Planet

Words by Naomi Stephens  Which bird would be at home on the set of Jurassic Park, packs 120mm long daggers and has been known to kill humans?   Meet the Southern Cassowary, one of the world’s largest breeds of bird with a fearsome reputation. Their sheer size and distinctive horn or “casque” are reminiscent of dinosaurs, so it’s no wonder that they are considered to be more like their prehistoric ancestors than most other bird species.  Cassowaries are flightless, which is probably a good thing given they weigh between 50-76kgs and can grow up to 1.8m in height. They are the third tallest bird on the planet behind close relatives, the emu, and their more distant cousin, the ostrich.  Where you’ll find them  Southern Cassowaries are typically found in tropical rainforests and wetlands in north-eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and neighbouring islands, and may also be found in mangrove areas or savannahs in these regions.  Solitary by nature, outside breeding season cassowaries generally keep out of each other’s way. Their diet consists mostly of fruit, but when in need of a protein hit they are not above chowing down on the odd small reptile or mammal, or carrion.  And their poo is something to behold (metaphorically, obviously). Unsurprisingly, given their size and diet, cassowaries produce large mounds of dung so…