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Angry bird pushes tourist off cliff

A tourist from Innisfail is lucky to be alive after being pushed over a cliff by an ill-tempered cassowary at Babinda Boulders, near Cairns.

Despite his unbelievable ordeal, the man says the experience hasn't put him off returning to the Tropical North for another holiday.

A cassowary peers through the bushes. flickr: travis_simon
A cassowary peers through the bushes. flickr: travis_simon

Dennis Ward had been watching a photographer take shots of a large male cassowary from what he thought was a safe distance, but it seems the bird had other ideas. As quick as a camera flash, the large bird turned on Mr. Ward and pushed him down the cliff into the water below.

Witnesses called the ambulance as the bird peered over the cliff to its victim below.

On the same day, a similar attack involving a woman was reported at a nearby property.

Cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to people and domestic animals. The third tallest bird in the world, cassowaries look like a cross between an emu and a turkey. They are very shy birds, but when disturbed they’re capable of inflicting serious harm with their sharp claws.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers are trying to locate the angry bird.

Follow Chris Ashton on Twitter: @chrisjashton and Google+: Google