Giant Cassowary Stalks and Chases Beachgoer In Scary Encounter

Bizarre-looking animals are fascinating, but imagine what happens when their personality is just as strange! In the curious video below, we get to see an up-close example of what a huge cassowary acts like when he’s curious.

Catch Up with This Odd Critter

At first, he’s hidden within the nearby beach foliage, but catches sight of two tourists and simply has to investigate. The large, flightless bird trots up and can’t get enough of being in the limelight, much to the alarm of the camerawoman.

The other beachgoer tries to distract the animal, but that only works for a moment. Then, the chase resumes as the cassowary picks up the pace and charges back at the person filming. Not to worry, though, as he quickly decides that he’s become bored of these people on his beach, and simply stares back as they leave.

Although an interesting if not uncommon meeting, it definitely leaves us with more than a few questions. Let’s delve into the mysteries of this unusual animal and discover a bit more about them!

Are Cassowaries Dangerous?

The peculiar cassowary is not an overly aggressive species but looks can be deceiving. Primarily a fruit eater, they don’t have much need for being hostile. However, they possess extremely powerful legs that they’ve adapted for jogging through their habitat. Their most intimidating weapon is their extremely long and sharp talons, which can measure up to 5 inches long. Paired with their muscular legs, a single blow can inflict fairly intense damage if provoked.

With all of that said, there is a documented history of unfortunate encounters with these massive animals, and two have been fatal. Controversially, these statistics have indeed led them to be called “the most dangerous bird in the world.”

What Is on the Cassowary’s Head?

A prominent feature of this odd bird is the horn-like protrusion seen atop its head. Found on several avians, this object is called a casque. While researchers aren’t completely certain of this structure’s purpose, it appears to function primarily for heat regulation in the cassowary. Interestingly enough, their casque is hollow and is lined with very fine fibers.

Casques are also possibly used for a variety of other uses, as well. Due to being made of durable keratin, it could protect the critter’s head while exploring. It could also serve as an audio device, specially tuned to the types of sounds that these animals communicate with.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © studioxy/Shutterstock.com