Victim didn’t have permit for large, flightless bird

ALACHUA, Fla. – Officials say a Florida breeder who was fatally attacked by a large, flightless bird native to Australia and New Guinea did not have a permit to own the animal.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Karen Parker confirmed Monday that 75-year-old Marvin Hajos exercised an exemption in the agency’s captive wildlife rules. The attacked occurred Friday near Gainesville.

The Gainesville Sun reports that a permit is normally required to possess, sell or publicly exhibit cassowaries, but breeders are exempt from the rule.

Cassowaries are similar to emus and stand up to 6 feet (1.8 metres) tall and weigh up to 130 pounds (59 kilograms). The San Diego Zoo’s website calls them the world’s most dangerous bird with a four-inch (10-centimetre), dagger-like claw on each foot that can cut open people or predators.

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Information from: The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com