After being attacked by a large flightless bird that he owned, a 75-year-old man has been killed in Florida as a result.
On Friday, Alachua County Sheriff Department told the BBC they were called to the man’s house and found him severely wounded by a cassowary. Sadly, the man, named Marvin Hajos, was rushed to hospital by paramedics where he died as a result of his injuries.
Police are still investigating the situation but say initial information suggests that this was a “tragic accident”.
This happened near the city of Alachua in northern Florida.
Jeff Taylor, Deputy Chief told the Gainesville Sun newspaper, “My understanding is that the gentleman was in the vicinity of the bird and at some point fell. When he fell, he was attacked.”
A woman who identified herself as Mr Hajos’ partner and who was also around his property, told the newspaper he had always been “doing what he loved”.
Mr Hajos had kept a lot of exotic animals, including llamas, for a very long time, reports from local newspapers say.
Similar in size and resemblance to emus, cassowary are among the largest and heaviest bird species in the whole world – they weigh around 100lb (45kg) or more.
The birds can also run up to 30 mph (50km/h) and possess a five-inch claw on each foot.
According to the Police, the bird involved in the incident remains where the tragic incident happened.
