Editing Cassowary (section)

=== Attacks ===
Cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to people and domestic animals. During [[World War&nbsp;II]], American and Australian troops stationed in New Guinea were warned to steer clear of them. In his 1958 book ''Living Birds of the World'', ornithologist [[Ernest Thomas Gilliard]] wrote:

<blockquote>The inner or second of the three toes is fitted with a long, straight, murderous nail which can sever an arm or eviscerate an abdomen with ease. There are many records of natives being killed by this bird.{{sfnp|Gilliard|1958|p=27}}</blockquote>

This assessment of the danger posed by cassowaries has been repeated in print by authors, including [[Gregory S. Paul]]{{sfnp|Paul|1988|loc=[https://archive.org/details/predatorydinosau00paul/page/364 p. 364], 464}} and [[Jared Diamond]].{{sfnp|Diamond|1997|loc=[https://archive.org/details/gunsgermssteelfa0000diam/page/165 p. 165]}} A 2003 historical study of 221 cassowary attacks showed that 150 had been against humans; 75% of these had been from cassowaries that had been fed by people, 71% of the time the bird had chased or charged the victim, and 15% of the time they kicked. Of the attacks, 73% involved the birds expecting or snatching food, 5% involved defending their natural food sources, 15% involved defending themselves, and 7% involved defending their chicks or eggs. Only one human death was reported among those 150 attacks.{{sfnp|Kofron|1999|}}

The first documented human death caused by a cassowary was on April 6, 1926. In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a cassowary on their property and decided to try to kill it by striking it with clubs. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away as his older brother struck the bird. The older McClean then tripped and fell to the ground. While he was on the ground, the cassowary kicked him in the neck, opening a {{convert|1.25|cm|in|2|adj=on}} wound that severed his [[jugular vein]]. The boy died of his injuries shortly thereafter.{{sfnp|Kofron|2003|}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-birds-that-cant-fly/|title=10 Birds That Can't Fly|first=Patrick|last=Sather|date=October 13, 2021|website=AZ Animals|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328130344/https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-birds-that-cant-fly/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Cassowary strikes to the abdomen are among the rarest of all, but in one case in 1995, a dog was kicked in the belly. The blow left no puncture, but severe bruising occurred. The dog later died from an apparent intestinal rupture.{{sfnp|Kofron|2003|}}

Another human death due to a cassowary was recorded in Florida on April 12, 2019. The bird's owner, a 75-year-old man who had raised the animal, was apparently clawed to death after he fell to the ground.<ref name="HuffPost 04-2019"/><ref>{{cite web | agency = Associated Press  | place = Alachua, Florida, USA | title = Authorities: Large, flightless bird kills its Florida owner | date = April 13, 2019 | work = ABC News | url = https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/large-flightless-bird-kills-florida-owner-62382669 | access-date= 2019-04-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | place = Alachua, Florida, USA | title = Cassowary kills man at farm near Alachua | date = April 13, 2019 | work = The Gainesville Sun| url = https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190413/cassowary-kills-man-at-farm-near-alachua | access-date= 2019-04-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/1a319ca7adc54e7bb45481ac57b8bc74|title=Cassowary, called 'most dangerous bird', attacks and kills Florida man|last1=Hackney|first1=Deanna|last2=McLaughlin|first2=Eliott C.|date=2019-04-15|website=AP News|access-date=2019-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/14/cassowary-worlds-dangerous-bird-kills-owner-florida/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/14/cassowary-worlds-dangerous-bird-kills-owner-florida/ |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Cassowary, world's 'most dangerous bird', kills owner in Florida|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line-->|date=2019-04-14|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-04-16|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| last1  = Wenzlow | first1  = N. | last2  = Hamilton | first2 = W. F. | date = 2021-02-18 |title  = Cassowary Fatally Attacks Its Owner  |journal = Abstracts of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Meeting |location=Houston, Texas | pages  = 590 (H 65)  | quote = Normally ... he would hold a 'shock stick' and had a second person with him. On that day ... he was alone and had entered the pen to retrieve one of the female’s eggs. During the attack, the victim had fallen to the ground and the attack continued for an unknown period of time. The owner was able to call for help and his outcries alerted his wife, who entered the enclosure with a 'stun gun' to repel the female cassowary. By the time the victim was pulled to safety, he had sustained numerous injuries and had lost a substantial amount of blood. He was rushed to the hospital. ... The patient did not survive his injuries.}}</ref>