‘World’s deadliest chick’ hatches at Cotswolds wildlife park for first time

Keepers at Birdland wildlife park in the Cotswolds have announced their first ever successful hatching of a southern cassowary chick, renowned as one of the world’s largest and most formidable flightless birds.

The birth is a major milestone for the Bourton-on-the-Water attraction, which has been trying to breed the giant birds on site for more than 25 years.

The chick, which is part of the European Endangered Species Programme, is only the fourth to hatch in Europe in 2024 and the first born in the UK since 2021.

“Cassowaries have a reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous birds and their size, speed and power combined with their dagger-like, 10cm claws mean we have to take looking after them extremely seriously,” keeper Alistair Keen said.