A Florida man died after being attacked by a cassowary he had been keeping on his property. Marvin Hajos, 75, of Alachua in northern Florida, maintained a deep interest in wildlife and exotic birds despite the species’ well-known reputation for aggression.
Hajos was particularly fascinated by cassowaries, large flightless birds native to Australia and New Guinea that belong to the same family as ostriches and emus. Friends said he regularly spoke about the birds in lectures and viewed his efforts as contributing to the preservation of an endangered species. He kept two breeding pairs at his home.
Cassowaries are generally wary of people and often move away when encountered. They can become aggressive, however, when cornered, provoked, or protecting eggs during breeding season. In this case, the presence of eggs heightened the danger.
Hajos noticed one of the female cassowaries was protecting her eggs and screeching at the males. Male cassowaries can become agitated and attempt to damage eggs, which left the female distressed and defensive. In an effort to protect the eggs, Hajos entered the area to retrieve them and place them in an incubator.
While he was retrieving the eggs, one of the birds knocked him to the ground. Lieutenant Brett Rhodenizer of the County Sheriff’s Department said investigators believe Hajos went in to recover the egg and that the bird then attacked. Hajos called his daughter for help, but she was unable to intervene in time.
The incident occurred in 2019 and ended in tragedy. Authorities have not released further details beyond the basic sequence of events. The case serves as a reminder of the risks involved in keeping large, powerful exotic animals, even for those with long experience and conservation intentions.