When I visited a safari park recently, I realized how little I know about the vast array of species that inhabit our planet. There are countless organisms out there that I haven’t even heard of. It made me pause and think about how little most of us actually know about the incredible creatures we share this world with. From the audacious to the ingenious, and even the downright terrifying, the animal kingdom never fails to astound us.
Learning about new animals and discovering how they live, mate, and evolve is truly captivating. Whether it’s mammals, reptiles, fish, or birds, each species has its own unique story to tell.
Take the cassowary, for example, also known as the world’s most hazardous bird. I must admit, I had never heard of this fascinating creature until recently. Native to the jungles of New Guinea, the Aru Islands, and northeastern Australia, these birds can weigh up to a whopping 180 lbs. What sets them apart are their razor-sharp claws, capable of inflicting fatal wounds.
A quick Google search was enough to convince me that I would never consider having a cassowary as a pet. And I’m sure many of our readers share the same sentiment.
However, there are a few brave souls who do keep cassowaries as pets. Marvin Hajos, a seventy-five-year-old Florida resident, was one such person. He was an expert in cassowaries, a true animal lover, and advocate. He even had two breeding pairs of these birds as his pets. But one fateful day, tragedy struck.
Marvin frantically dialed 911, reporting that he was in critical condition. The transcript of the call is chilling enough to send shivers down your spine.
Marvin had always been drawn to birds. As a young lad, he worked with them at the Bronx Zoo. Over time, he developed a fascination for cassowaries, which are widely renowned as the most hazardous birds in the world.
Throughout his life, Marvin became an authority on cassowaries and lectured about them at numerous colleges across the US. He had a special permit that allowed him to raise two breeding pairs of these flightless birds on his land in Alachua, Florida.
Despite his extensive knowledge and awareness of the risks associated with cassowaries, tragedy struck when one of the birds he cared for attacked him, inflicting fatal injuries. Authorities theorized that Marvin’s unfortunate accident led to his untimely demise in 2019.
According to Fox 35, “He was tending to them when he got attacked. One of the females recently laid an egg, and the males typically try to destroy those eggs. It is believed that Hajos tried to retrieve the eggs and put them in an incubator before the attack.”
Marvin managed to call 911 after the attack, desperately pleading for help: “Can you send an ambulance? I’m bleeding to death.”
He was rushed to the UF Health Shands Hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his wounds. The incident appears to have been accidental, with Marvin being in the vicinity of the bird and falling before the attack.
Rest in peace, Marvin Hajos. Your passion for animals will always be remembered.
