18,000 years ago in New Guinea, humans tried to domesticate cassowaries
October 6, 2022 8:00 AM Subscribe
Thousands of Years Before Humans Raised Chickens, They Tried to Domesticate the World's Deadliest Bird. While one should certainly be wary around a cassowary and its dagger-like claws today, a study found that humans may have raised the territorial, aggressive birds 18,000 years ago in New Guinea, making them the earliest bird reared by our ancient ancestors. [Smithsonian Magazine]
Like a turkey with knives. I can imagine domesticating them would have a very high reward ratio if you can get them imprinted on you like chickens - the eggs would be a meal or two each.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 8:13 AM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 8:13 AM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
Wolves were less dangerous. Hell, a hive of bees would be less dangerous on a honey raid, I think.
In other news from the region, archaeologists just learned that the oldest known survived surgical amputation took place in Borneo thirty-one thousand years ago.
posted by Countess Elena at 8:16 AM on October 6, 2022 [8 favorites]
In other news from the region, archaeologists just learned that the oldest known survived surgical amputation took place in Borneo thirty-one thousand years ago.
posted by Countess Elena at 8:16 AM on October 6, 2022 [8 favorites]
I love stories like this that shed light on the daily life stories of our ancestors.
The last sentence of the story opened the whole thing up for me:
Despite the aggressive nature of adult cassowaries, young chicks would have been easy to raise. Like geese, cassowary chicks imprint on the first adult bird, person or animal they see, per CNN.
You better believe this shit was probably fun as hell.
posted by bleep at 8:18 AM on October 6, 2022 [7 favorites]
The last sentence of the story opened the whole thing up for me:
Despite the aggressive nature of adult cassowaries, young chicks would have been easy to raise. Like geese, cassowary chicks imprint on the first adult bird, person or animal they see, per CNN.
You better believe this shit was probably fun as hell.
posted by bleep at 8:18 AM on October 6, 2022 [7 favorites]
While they are incredibly dangerous if you frighten them or anger them, cassowaries are surprisingly chill if you give them plenty of personal space.
Their attitude seems to be "Don't Start None, Won't Be None"
The last human killed by a cassowary in Australia [there was a much more recent incident in the US] was in 1926 and the attack was EXTREMELY provoked by the humans.
"In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a cassowary on their property and decided to try to kill it by striking it with clubs. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away as his older brother struck the bird. The older McClean then tripped and fell to the ground. While he was on the ground, the cassowary kicked him in the neck, opening a 1.25-cm (1/2-in) wound that may have severed his jugular vein. The boy died of his injuries shortly thereafter."
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:29 AM on October 6, 2022 [9 favorites]
Their attitude seems to be "Don't Start None, Won't Be None"
The last human killed by a cassowary in Australia [there was a much more recent incident in the US] was in 1926 and the attack was EXTREMELY provoked by the humans.
"In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a cassowary on their property and decided to try to kill it by striking it with clubs. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away as his older brother struck the bird. The older McClean then tripped and fell to the ground. While he was on the ground, the cassowary kicked him in the neck, opening a 1.25-cm (1/2-in) wound that may have severed his jugular vein. The boy died of his injuries shortly thereafter."
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:29 AM on October 6, 2022 [9 favorites]
I feel like imprinting a cassowary would be less of a parent/child relationship and more like a manager/mercenary relationship. I think this needs the graphic novel treatment. I'm thinking something along the lines of a Foghorn Leghorn mashup with Deadpool.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:29 AM on October 6, 2022 [28 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:29 AM on October 6, 2022 [28 favorites]
See?? Man and dinosaur happily coexisting! The Flintstones historical document is correct after all.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:35 AM on October 6, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:35 AM on October 6, 2022 [11 favorites]
Did they use them as guards (as the Romans did geese) or in war?
posted by acb at 8:35 AM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by acb at 8:35 AM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
To illustrate the "Don't Start None, Won't Be None" attitude of cassowaries, here is a wild cassowary trying to sneakily steal someone's cake and being surprisingly easily discouraged.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:45 AM on October 6, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:45 AM on October 6, 2022 [5 favorites]
18,000 years ago, a crack cassowary commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit.
These avians promptly escaped from a maximum-security enclosure to the New Guinea underground.
Today, still wanted by the government, their descendants survive as soldiers of fortune.
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the Avian-team.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:46 AM on October 6, 2022 [19 favorites]
These avians promptly escaped from a maximum-security enclosure to the New Guinea underground.
Today, still wanted by the government, their descendants survive as soldiers of fortune.
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the Avian-team.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:46 AM on October 6, 2022 [19 favorites]
I pity the foul!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:51 AM on October 6, 2022 [17 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:51 AM on October 6, 2022 [17 favorites]
That was a fowl pun, IRFH.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:56 AM on October 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:56 AM on October 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
Spelling fowl, at any rate.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:59 AM on October 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:59 AM on October 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've heard the theory that chickens were domesticated first for cockfighting and only later as food, so maybe a similar thing is going on here?
posted by 1970s Antihero at 10:01 AM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 10:01 AM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
surprisingly easily discouraged
You're not kidding. That feathery fella seemed pretty calm. Mrs Abehammerb's green-cheeked conure is way more aggressive than that. He particularly hates my toes when I wear fuzzy socks. Just throws his tiny body at my feet like he's a raging linebacker. It's adorable.
I am going to strongly suggest you DO NOT wear fuzzy socks near cassowaries.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:08 AM on October 6, 2022 [6 favorites]
You're not kidding. That feathery fella seemed pretty calm. Mrs Abehammerb's green-cheeked conure is way more aggressive than that. He particularly hates my toes when I wear fuzzy socks. Just throws his tiny body at my feet like he's a raging linebacker. It's adorable.
I am going to strongly suggest you DO NOT wear fuzzy socks near cassowaries.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:08 AM on October 6, 2022 [6 favorites]
Of course birds in Australia are deadly
posted by waving at 12:31 PM on October 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by waving at 12:31 PM on October 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
Came to check someone had posted some First Dog on the Moon content, was not disappointed.
posted by andraste at 12:58 PM on October 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by andraste at 12:58 PM on October 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
Like geese, cassowary chicks imprint on the first adult bird, person or animal they see, per CNN.
Oh, I've read that you can but probably shouldn't get a bunch of ducklings to follow you everywhere and was kind of eh on the idea, but now I very much want a posse of cassowaries to sic on anyone who gives me trouble.
Also, a bit off-topic, but I wrote a new verse of "Leatherwing Bat" about cassowaries several months ago, based on the notion that every verse of "Leatherwing Bat" ought to include at least one vaguely scientific fact and at least one tale of thwarted love: "Aye, said the cassowary, standing tall/Give your heart and give your all/And if he wants to be freed/Kick him in the gut and watch him bleed/Howdy dowdy &c."
posted by jackbishop at 3:08 PM on October 6, 2022
Oh, I've read that you can but probably shouldn't get a bunch of ducklings to follow you everywhere and was kind of eh on the idea, but now I very much want a posse of cassowaries to sic on anyone who gives me trouble.
Also, a bit off-topic, but I wrote a new verse of "Leatherwing Bat" about cassowaries several months ago, based on the notion that every verse of "Leatherwing Bat" ought to include at least one vaguely scientific fact and at least one tale of thwarted love: "Aye, said the cassowary, standing tall/Give your heart and give your all/And if he wants to be freed/Kick him in the gut and watch him bleed/Howdy dowdy &c."
posted by jackbishop at 3:08 PM on October 6, 2022
Other FDOTM content you will enjoy:
- save the cassowary!
- why a cassowary should be QLD premier
- think more like a cassowary
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:00 PM on October 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
- save the cassowary!
- why a cassowary should be QLD premier
- think more like a cassowary
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:00 PM on October 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
I sent this article to my parents. My family lived in New Guinea for 25 odd years from the mid 1960s, and are still very invested emotionally in the country and the people. This is my dad's response.
"Interesting article. In our time a few people raised cassowary for their feathers. The birds are life-threateningly dangerous. The Pidgin word for cassowary is muruk.. The birds, big and strong, rampage through the forest when they are in the mood. Muruk is also Pidgin for crazy."
So yep, still some mad highlanders raising murder birds withing living memory. Cassowary are terrifying.
posted by arha at 4:18 PM on October 6, 2022 [5 favorites]
"Interesting article. In our time a few people raised cassowary for their feathers. The birds are life-threateningly dangerous. The Pidgin word for cassowary is muruk.. The birds, big and strong, rampage through the forest when they are in the mood. Muruk is also Pidgin for crazy."
So yep, still some mad highlanders raising murder birds withing living memory. Cassowary are terrifying.
posted by arha at 4:18 PM on October 6, 2022 [5 favorites]
Yeah, that bit about imprinting demystifies things. I wonder if they trimmed/pruned the birds' claws or just took their chances?
Balut is still eaten today as street food in some parts of Asia, per a statement.
That is weird wording -- "per a statement"? I live in a city in the US, and there are places that serve balut here. It's not a mythical food that needs a citation.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:59 PM on October 6, 2022
Balut is still eaten today as street food in some parts of Asia, per a statement.
That is weird wording -- "per a statement"? I live in a city in the US, and there are places that serve balut here. It's not a mythical food that needs a citation.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:59 PM on October 6, 2022
Now I can't help but imagine a alternate paleolithic history of a cassowary domesticating society that thrived into the present.
posted by neonamber at 11:23 PM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by neonamber at 11:23 PM on October 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
I am reminded of Jack Horner’s argument that juvenile dinosaurs are frequently misidentified as new species, based on the way that the crest of the cassowary develops late in its adolescence. (Among other claims: the obviously recently-named Dracorex hogwarstii is a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus.)
You watch this talk, you go to your zoo and look at the cassowary and the ostrich and the emu, you read how the wingless “ratite” body plan has evolved independently in these unrelated species, and the feathered tyrannosaur becomes much less absurd-sounding.
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 6:28 AM on October 15, 2022
You watch this talk, you go to your zoo and look at the cassowary and the ostrich and the emu, you read how the wingless “ratite” body plan has evolved independently in these unrelated species, and the feathered tyrannosaur becomes much less absurd-sounding.
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 6:28 AM on October 15, 2022
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