Chapter 1
The dinosaur next door
Chapter 2
Weaponry of the rainforest
Chapter 3
Guardians of the green
Chapter 4
Humans and the modern dinosaur
YOUR GOAL
Master of The modern dinosaur with a dagger kick
Ch 4 · Humans and the modern dinosaur
artiteacher Southern Cassowary
Step back, step back! A living dino with five-inch claws!
artiteacher Rainforest Aboriginal peoples and New Guinean tribes respect the cassowary as a spiritual guardian, featuring it in Dreamtime
artiteacher A fresco shows a cassowary with dagger claws facing a protective backpack shield.
Fun Fact
Food expectations: Over seventy percent of cassowary attacks happen because the bird has learned to expect food from humans and gets angry when it isn't fed.
Glossary
cassowary (noun)
A large, flightless bird native to the tropical forests of Australia and New Guinea. In 1926, an Australian teenager became the first documented human killed by the bird after an altercation.
A large, flightless bird native to the tropical forests of Australia and New Guinea. In 1926, an Australian teenager became the first documented human killed by the bird after an altercation.
Quiz
Which major natural disaster in 2006 wiped out 35 percent of the cassowary population in Queensland?
Quiz
What can you use as a makeshift shield to protect yourself during a cassowary encounter?
Quiz
According to a 2003 study, what percentage of cassowary attacks involved birds that had been fed by humans?
Quiz
What is currently the leading cause of human-related cassowary deaths in Queensland, Australia?
Quiz
Why do cassowaries sometimes enter urban neighborhoods after a severe tropical cyclone?
Quiz
How do Indigenous peoples of New Guinea and Australia traditionally view the cassowary?
Quiz
What is the recommended action if you come face-to-face with an aggressive cassowary?