ALACHUA, Fla. — If you’ve always wanted to own a killer bird, here’s your chance.
The large, flightless bird that attacked and killed its 75-year-old owner in Florida earlier this month is going up on the auction block.
The cassowary will be put up for sale this Saturday — along with dozens of other dangerous and endangered animals owned by Marvin Hajos before his death — by Gulf Coast Livestock in Madison, Florida.
The animals are reportedly being sold in accordance with its owners’ last wishes.
The sale’s auctioneer, Scotty Wilson, says they expect about 100 people from across the country to attend Saturday. Attendees are required to pre-register and possess a captive wildlife license or permit.
When asked if attendees would be warned one of the birds has killed a man, Wilson assured that “full disclosure” would be made.
Don’t bother trying to get candids of the killer bird, though. A post for the sale warned, “Anyone seen video taping in any capacity will be deemed trespassing and will be escorted out by security.”
Aside from the killer cassowary, over 100 animals are up for auction, including five ring-tailed and ruffed lemurs, 26 marmosets, an emu, several macaws, and a second cassowary.
Cassowaries are native to New Guinea and parts of Australia, and are known to attack people and animals if they feel threatened. They are similar to emus and stand up to 6 feet tall and weigh up to 130 pounds, with black body feathers and bright blue heads and necks.
The San Diego Zoo’s website describes the cassowary as being “rightfully considered the most dangerous bird in the world! Each 3-toed foot has a dagger-like claw on the inner toe that is up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) long. The cassowary can slice open any predator or potential threat with a single swift kick. Powerful legs help the cassowary run up to 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) through the dense forest underbrush.”