Quick question: why did cassowaries evolve their claws?
The cassowary has gotten a reputation as the world's deadliest bird, with a kick that can disembowl a victim. But aside from humans, dingoes, and crocs, there aren't many big creatures that threaten cassowaries. Then i got to thinking about Aussie animals living and extinct and thouhght about thylacines, marsupial lions, megalainia, quinkana, wonambi, etc. Did cassowaries evolve their killer claw and personality in response to Australias crazy scary megafauna? And is some of their behavior and defense a biological anachronism against the frighting animals they once lived with? Perhaps a male cassowary would risk life and limb to save it's hatclings a ferocious quinkana croc or menacing megalainia!
(totally wanna sketch this scenario now!!)
cover art belongs to Peter Schouten