Cassowary, world's most dangerous bird, raised by humans 18,000 years ago: Study

The bird Cassowary, which is believed to be the world's most dangerous bird, has been presented as the earliest bird to be domesticated by humans, according to a new study. As per a report published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, it is said that humans in New Guinea had found a way to rear cassowaries some 18,000 years ago after they collected eggs that neared maturity. These birds are considered the most dangerous for their dagger-like toe that can grow up to four inches long.

Cassowaries are aggressive with their toes

Considering the nature of these birds, their domestication by humans seems perplexing as they are highly territorial and aggressive. With the dwarf variety of a Cassowary weighing 20 kilos, each of their three-toed foot has a four-inch-long dagger-like claw. A report by The Swaddle revealed that an individual from Florida succumbed to a cassowary attack, and these birds have been classified as “Class II wildlife" by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Reportedly, this class, made in terms of risk to humans, also includes animals like wolves, jackals, alligators, and clouded leopards.

How did the researchers determine the timeline? 

An international team of experts studied the fossilised eggshells of these birds to determine the developmental stage of the ancient embryos after they cracked. Based on their data, the experts stated that the results of their study presented the earliest evidence of domestication of cassowaries, as per a report by Phys.org. They also revealed that their management by humans was centuries ahead of the first recorded instances of chicken and geese. 

According to the researchers, cassowaries were easier to maintain and raise up to adult size but resembled velociraptors, a type of dinosaur, rather than most domesticated birds. Interestingly, imprinting occurs in cassowaries just like in humans, where the bird considers the first thing it sees as its mother. 

Talking about the most commonly domesticated bird now, scientists say that humans had been rearing chickens even less than 10,000 years ago. However, scientists are still perplexed as to why our ancestors chose such a threatening bird species as their first choice for domestication but say that cassowaries must have had a high value in the past, The Swaddle reported. Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that the bird is still reared for consumption and trade.

Image: Pixabay