© Shutterstock

Hard as nails -

If you have ever been to Australia, or even met an Australian away from their home turf, you’ll know they have a reputation for being tough.

© Shutterstock

Dangerous species -

Indeed, when you come from a country that is home to a vast array of dangerous animals, it is easy to understand why you would develop a thick skin.

© Getty Images

The most feared species -

There is one exception to the Aussie fearlessness of wildlife, however, and that’s the cassowary.

© Getty Images

Endangered flightless bird -

The cassowary is a large, flightless bird that has a particularly striking appearance. The endangered species mostly keeps to itself, deep within the rainforest.

© Getty Images

General rule -

In general, cassowaries are more scared of humans than humans are scared of them. However, they will do you harm if you try to cross them.

© Getty Images

Appearance -

One of the reasons that so many people are scared of cassowaries is because of their creepy appearance.

© Getty Images

Height and weight -

Among the world’s largest birds, the cassowary is as tall as a human and can weigh up to 140 pounds (64 kilograms).

© Getty Images

Other characteristics -

The emu-like bird has glossy black feathers, piercing eyes, and a dagger-like claw on each foot.

© Getty Images

Bipeds -

They walk upright on their two legs and will give any human a run for their money in a running race.

© Getty Images

Living dinosaurs -

To quote Andrew Mack, who spent five years studying this bird in the wilds of Papua New Guinea, "they look like living dinosaurs."

© Getty Images

Intriguing species -

Cassowaries may be scary, but they are also an interesting species for various reasons.

© Getty Images

Rainforest-dwellers -

As previously mentioned, cassowaries are endangered. As a result, they tend to dwell deep in the rainforest, where they are less likely to encounter humans.

© Getty Images

Supporting the ecosystem -

In their rainforest dwellings, cassowaries play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem.

© Getty Images

Frugivore -

The cassowary is the planet’s largest frugivore (fruit eater). It eats and digests dozens of fruits every day.

© Getty Images

Spreading seeds -

By pooping out those fruits, this dinosaur-like bird helps to spread the seeds of the fruits and regrow them throughout the forest.

© Getty Images

Childcare habits -

Cassowaries are also interesting for another reason: it is the males that do most of the infant care.

© Getty Images

Rare pattern -

In the animal kingdom, there are only a handful of species where the males look after the babies.

© Getty Images

Absent mothers -

In the case of the cassowary, the females lay the eggs and then flee the nest, leaving the males to incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

© Getty Images

Protecting their young -

Just like many other species in the animal kingdom, cassowaries are fiercely protective of their young.

© Getty Images

The main cause of incidents -

Indeed, some of the only non-food-related incidents involving humans and cassowaries occurred because someone came too close to the cassowary's chicks.

© Getty Images

If you encounter a cassowary -

So, what should you do if you do encounter a cassowary? The first thing that experts recommend is to put your hands behind your back.

© Getty Images

Be boring -

Try and be as boring as possible, so as not to attract their attention. If there is a tree nearby, try to blend in with it.

© Getty Images

Don't run -

Although it may be tempting to try and run from an approaching cassowary, this tends to be counterproductive.

© Getty Images

Fast runners -

As previously mentioned, cassowaries are fast runners, just like their cousins—emus and ostriches. In most cases they will be able to catch up with you.

© Getty Images

Hide any food -

If you have food with you when you encounter a cassowary, it is best to keep it on your person, but hidden out of sight.

© Getty Images

The problem with feeding -

According to experts, feeding a cassowary may change their behavior and make them become bold and aggressive.

© Getty Images

Key statistic -

Indeed, according to a 2001 study in the Journal of Zoology, humans feeding cassowaries was the cause of 75% of dangerous encounters between the two species.

© Getty Images

Viral video -

In 2024, a video of a woman trying to keep her McDonald’s out of the clutches of a greedy cassowary went viral.

© Getty Images

Sparking a debate -

It sparked a conversation as to whether the woman had reacted in the right way upon encountering the formidable bird.

© Getty Images

Expert opinion -

According to the cassowary experts, she did exactly the right thing in trying to keep her food for herself.

Sources: (CNN) (San Diego Zoo)

See also: Essential tips for exploring the Australian outback

© Getty Images