‘World’s deadliest chick’ hatches in Cotswolds wildlife attraction
ONE of the “world’s deadliest chicks” has hatched in a bird park in the Cotswolds.
Birdland has announced the first successful hatching in its history of the chick of a southern cassowary, renowned as one of the world’s largest and most formidable flightless birds.
The southern cassowary is regarded as dangerous because of its claws, strong legs and aggressive behaviour when threatened. The birds have killed people, including Marvin Hajos, 75, who was attacked by one of his pet cassowaries in Florida five years ago.
It is a major milestone for the Bourton-on-the-water wildlife attraction, which has been trying to breed the birds on-site for more than 25 years.
The chick is only the fourth to hatch in Europe this year and the first born in the UK since 2021.
The parents, a male from Avifauna in Alphen, the Netherlands, and a female from Frankfurt, Germany, have been together at Birdland since 2012.
Alistair Keen, the head keeper at Birdland, said: “It has been a massive effort from the entire team here over many years, but it’s all been worthwhile when you see this amazing humbug-coloured chick exploring its new surroundings under the watchful eye of a very protective father. Cassowaries have a reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous birds and their size, speed and power combined with their dagger-like 10cm claws mean we have to take looking after them extremely seriously.
“They are the only birds on-site that have their own risk assessment as they are potentially so hazardous.” Found in the tropical rainforests of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, cassowaries are powerful runners, reaching speeds of up to 31mph. Over the coming weeks, it is hoped that visitors will have a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the fast-growing bird in its spacious enclosure.