Australians have made a strange peace with the deadliness of this continent. Wandering through the "Dangerous and Deadly" exhibitions in the Sydney Wildlife World and Aquarium, you can see the world's most poisonous snakes, octopuses, and Jellyfish. The biggest man-killers are also on display- the Saltwater Crocodile, a whole tank of sharks, and the world's only man-killing bird, the Southern Cassowary.
The signage is an odd overlap of sensationalism and perspective, gruesomely describing how many of Australia's creatures can kill you, while reminding you it's far more likely to be hit by a car. For the Southern Cassowary enclosure, this means a feature on it's giant bony head crest and 3 inch raptor-style claws. Nevermind that the Southern Cassowary is a fruit-eating bird whose criminal record includes only a single manslaughter, when close to a 100 years ago a fleeing bird accidentally stepped on a 14-year old boy who had been poking it with a stick.
Nonetheless it's true that the critters here can give a nasty nip. Take the Spurwinged Plover, Australia's only upland plover, which is found across most of the continent. Plovers are fiercely territorial, and these guys will take a spurs-first dive bomb at anyone who comes near their nest. Fortunately they issue unmistakable warning cries well before you get too close.
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