Beachgoer films large swimming bird emerging from the sea
An endangered cassowary surprised beachgoers when it emerged from the sea.
Beachgoers in Australia were shocked on October 31 when a giant bird, considered by some to be the most dangerous in the world, emerged from the water and shook itself off.
The bird, called a cassowary, was spotted in Bingil Bay in northeastern Australia and reported to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
A visitor reported the sighting to Nikita McDowell, a campground operator at Bingil Bay, after spotting the cassowary about 650 feet offshore.
“I ran down and waited for the cassowary to emerge from the sea, and it must have been exhausted as it stood in the shade under a tree with shaking legs for about half an hour,” McDowell said in the news release.
“The advice I received from local wildlife carers and QPWS was to monitor it and move on when it was ready. I went to make a coffee and when I came back it was gone,” she said.
According to the Library of Congress, cassowaries are shy and usually difficult to spot. Although they are not overly aggressive and attacks are rare, they can cause great damage if provoked or angered.
According to the Library of Congress, the birds are native to northern Australia, New Guinea and surrounding islands and can grow up to 6 feet tall and weigh up to 160 pounds.
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“The southern population of the southern cassowary is listed as vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and it is important that sick, injured or orphaned cassowaries are reported to the QPWS,” wildlife officer Stephen Clough said in a news release.
“We’re not sure how long this animal was in the water or why it went swimming, but the footage is amazing,” Clough added.
“There are an estimated 4,000 cassowaries left in Queensland and their survival faces numerous threats, including loss of habitat, road accidents and attacks by domestic dogs,” Clough said, warning people living in cassowary territory to avoid roads, particularly certain ones Slow down in areas where birds are known to frequent.
What to do if you encounter a cassowary?
According to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, cassowaries can cause serious injuries to people and pets by kicking them with their large clawed feet.
Here is some advice if you come across a cassowary.
- Never approach cassowaries.
- Never approach the chicks – male cassowaries will defend them.
- Never feed cassowaries – it is illegal, dangerous and has resulted in the deaths of cassowaries in the south.
- Always dispose of food scraps in closed containers and ensure compost bins have a secure lid.
- Always slow down in the southern cassowary area.
- Never stop your vehicle to look for southern cassowaries on the road.
- Keep dogs behind fences or on a leash.