It is difficult to imagine that there is a bird in the world, capable of developing the speed of running up to 70 km / h, having a huge body weight, which can survive almost anywhere. This is all about the African ostrich, amazing and useful in all respects birds.
Description of African Ostrich
The African Ostrich is an extraordinary large bird that does not know how to fly and has no keel. The only appearance of ostriches preserved to the present day.
Scientists found out that the most ancient ancestor of these birds lived in South Africa about 23 million years ago. It was medium sized (less than now) and primitive. Approximately 15 million years ago, some of the ostrich penetrated Turkey, and from there they were settled throughout the territory of Internal Asia.
The further evolution of these birds occurred in Eurasia over the Late Miocene. The climatic conditions were the following: cooling, draining the territory. But on the spacious fields there were savannahs, where they lived these ostriches in still quite underdeveloped and primitive form for a long time.
AppearanceAfrican ostrich is the largest of all kinds of birds known to scientists at the moment. Let us consider in detail every detail of his appearance:
- Head. Enough solid, flattened. The eyes are large, bright, as a rule, with long dense eyelashes, located in the upper eyelid, there are no them on the bottom. Vision is very good. The auditory apparatus is perfectly visible due to a weak plumage in the area of the head, the ear shells resemble small human ears.
- Wings. Underdeveloped, they have fingers with claws. The plumage throughout the body is uniformly, it is thick on the wings. Typically, males have black plumage, and females that are noticeably smalleled, they are not so bright - gray, dirty and white colors.
- Limbs. On the paws of the African Ostrich there is a completely lack of a plumage, as well as on the thoracic part. Strong, long limbs have 2 fingers, on one of which there is a kind of hoof. Their legs are so powerful that one strike is capable of acting serious damage and even kill any major predator.
- Height and weight. These are the biggest and heavy birds in the world. Their height reaches 2.5 meters, and the weight is approximately 120 kg in the female and 150 kg in the male.
Ostrich can behave aggressively towards a person if he attacks their territory. These cases are a rare phenomenon, but nevertheless, it characterizes them as freedom-loving and fighting birds.
Prefer to lead a stadium lifestyle. May live family groups, which consist of male, several females and their offspring. The number of flocks reaches 30 individuals, and young ostriches in the south live as a group consisting of hundreds of birds.
African ostriches can often be near other herbivores, live together and be very friendly. By virtue of its high growth and excellent vision, they can inform the danger to all animals nearby.
HibernationAfrican ostrices are able to perfectly transfer the winter on the territory of the CIS middle strip, which is due to very magnificent plumage and genetically wonderful health.
When keeping in captivity, specially adapted warm poultry houses are erected for such birds. The individuals born in the winter on health are much stronger and rustier than birds, born and grown in the summer time.
Subspecies
To date, only 4 subspecies that live in Africa are preserved. Previously, there were more of them, but because of the extermination of birds, their population declined greatly. Consider every subspecies separately:- Ordinary ostrich. The largest view. He has a bald on his head, and the paws and neck are painted in a pinkish-red shade. The female instead of red leather whitish-pink. The egg of an ordinary ostrich has a pores in the form of a star.
- Masay Ostrich. Lives in East Africa. During the period of reproduction, its skin becomes brightly red, the rest of the time has a pinkish shade. Females are the owners of a brownish gray plumage and whitish limbs.
- Somali Ostrich. Some scientists and researchers allocate it in a separate species due to reproductive isolation, identified by the DNA analysis. Somali Ostrich females are always larger than males. Their weight reaches 150 kg, and the growth of about 2.5 meters. The color of the skin of males is bluish-gray, and females are distinguished by bright brown feathers.
- Southern Ostrich. Possess dirty gray and light black color. The habitat is extensive: Namibia, Zambia, Angola.
Natural habitats
Depending on the subspecies, the place of residence of the African Ostrich is changing. Most often, the feathers try to find the following natural conditions for life:
- Savannah. Ostrichs due to their natural features and the need for rapid movement prefer herbal savannes and places where few trees. Plain is an excellent place to continue the genus and nutrition. On smooth lands, all animals are excellent nearby, including predators. Therefore, in case of danger, ostriches can be sent in advance.
- Semi-desert. During the surgery of eggs, the Group of African Ostrich can be found there. However, they do not live in the Sahara desert. Because by such a type of sand as the bird is difficult to run, which is necessary for them. The optimal option for life will be a semi-desert with solid earth and small shrubs.
There are areas that try to bypass the side of ostrices are mostly swampy terrain, high impassable thickets of herbs and trees, deserts with bulk sands.
Natural enemies
Ostrich in nature has many different enemies. Consider in detail how serious and frequent danger they carry:- Predators. These are hyenas, jackals and birds, attackers and ruining their nests with defenseless chicks. That is why during the incubation and growth of chicks, the population of African ostriches is huge damage. But the offspring can run away from danger on July 30 after birth. Only large predators are attacked on adult individuals: lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs. But ostriches have effective protection methods, so predatory animals produce an attack with caution.
- Poachers. They carry the most irreparable damage of the population. Hunters kill whole herds, about 30-80 individuals. They illegally sell skin, feathers, meat, rally eggs. The method of combating poachers is now one - breeding individuals on the farm to get all the benefits of specially grown livestock, and not from the killing of all birds.
- Tourists. For them, it is just entertainment, so they are happy to hunt birds from helicopters. It is difficult to fight with them and the power has banned the export of any kind of ostrich products from the country.
A person bears the greatest danger to African ostriches. Despite camouflage, high speed, strong limbs and density of eggs, people found a way to destroy individuals for their own benefit.
Nutrition of African ostrichs
Ostrich have a diverse diet. They can eat grass, branches, roots, plants and flowers. But they will not be refused from small rodents, residues of the meal of predators, insects.
Since the bird has no teeth, they swallow small stones so that food is better crushed in the stomach.
These birds can long be without water for a long time, and they produce moisture from plants. However, when founding a reservoir, it uses its capabilities and not only go, but also reaches.
Population and status of the form
In the past centuries, the fans of ostrich were very popular, therefore the population was significantly reduced. But thanks to the existence of artificial breeding, this species managed to save from the disappearance.Now African ostrich is listed in the Red Book due to the fact that the number of livestock in the will is rapidly reduced. This affects the construction of new roads, buildings, hunters and even ordinary people who believe that the meat of ostrich can treat diabetes.
Reproduction and life expectancy
Before laying eggs, the male itself pulls out the hole. The main female of the flock is rapid all the eggs about 40 days. She is engaged in these whole days, rally only for food and the persecution of small rodents. At night, the male sits on the eggs.
One female is able to postpone up to 10 eggs. Ostrich egg is the biggest in the world. Its weight is 1.5-2 kg, and in length it is about 15 cm.
After 40 days the chick hatches. This process takes about an hour. It breaks the shell with the beak and head. If some chicks from the offspring could not appear, then the female itself opens the egg. I will weigh 1 kg weigh, immediately begin to see, have fluff. For 30 days, they can quickly run enough.
The weight of ostrich becomes about 25 kg in six months after birth. After 2 years, the males are covered with black feathers, before that they are all like females. Their development is generally characterized by the process gradual and slow. Especially for a long time they develop a plumage.
The maximum life expectancy of the ostrich is about 80 years, but most of them live 35-40.
Economic significance
People are engaged in the content and breeding of these birds to obtain dear skin and meat. The second is valuable in that in its composition is lean. In addition, you can get feathers and eggs.
Most farms are located in Africa, but even cold countries are already engaged in this craft. We will analyze in detail than so useful ostriches:
- Meat. Very reminiscent of beef with low fat. Ostrich meat is the most dietary on the planet, the percentage of cholesterol in it is very small. You can enlarge the mass of ostrich, you can enable it cheap green feed and hay, and at the exit, it turns out to 40 kg of pure meat with one individual. It is much more profitable than to contain pigs that need to eat expensive feeds.
- Leather. Out of ostrich skins are made in demand, valuable and expensive skin, which is not inferior to the skin crocodile in quality. At the age of ostrich, the best skins, which still did not have time to be damaged.
- Feathers. For a long time, the bird's plumage has enjoyed in great demand among the ladies. Of these, luxury objects were manufactured. Most often feathers were used as a decorative element in the lady's hat, because of which all ostriches were almost destroyed.
- Eggs. Energy value of ostrich eggs is 118 kcal per 100 g of product. It does not particularly differ from chicken eggs. The whole egg is enough, so that there are 11 people.
- Other products. Scientists from the world of medicine put experiments on bars. Fat is used in cosmetic products, for example, in funds that are eliminated from wrinkles and smooth skin.
The economic significance of ostriches is great, they are able to bring a lot of benefits. From an economic point of view, their content is budget and fertile. Tried meat and eggs of ostrich? How do you? Very tasty, very different from other birds 0% tried (la), nothing unusual 0% did not try (LA) 100% Show Results Voted: 2
Estimation of African Ostrich
It is reliably known that attempts to domesticating the African Ostrich occurred in the distant past in ancient Egypt. However, only in the 19th century the first farm opened, which was located in America. After that, ostrich farms became a lot of almost all over the world. Now they are bred in more than 50 countries of the world.Birds are able to quickly adapt to harsh weather conditions, despite their African origin. It will not be difficult for them to move 30 degree frost, but sharp drops of temperature, drafts and wet snow on birds act especially badly, because of this they can get sick and even perish.
Is it possible to breed it?
Ostrich - Bird is large and exotic, but hardy and omnivorous. So that the bird was comfortable to live on the farm, you need to have the following conditions:
- Nearby there should be a spacious herbal terrain on which various plants will be germinate;
- the presence of a warmed poultry house, as ostriches love warm climatic conditions, even despite endurance;
- On one male, it is necessary to contain 3-4 females, due to this, their correct reproduction is ensured.
It is important to deal with birds carefully and carefully, because they can behave very aggressively during the period of marriage relationships, protecting their chicks and eggs.
The breeding of African ostrich can be found in the video:
Protection of type
Ostrich needed radical and serious security events. The organization that works by Sugara decided to encourage people to help save the population and return ostrich to the will. Today, the Saharan Fund has already been able to achieve considerable success in the protection of African Ostrich.
The company highlighted in the adoption of some important measures in the construction of nurseries, consulted with specialists on the theme of bird reproduction in captivity. Great help was provided to one of the zoos in the breeding of ostrich.
Created a nursery in an African village with all the necessary conditions for ostriches in the East. Supporting the authorities helped to withdraw the birds of birds into protected areas and release them into reserves to continue their lives in a natural habitat, free.
Thanks to the measures taken to protect the birds, it is possible to avoid the bright development of poaching and maintain a population.
Ostrich - unique bird in his own way. He has a big story, it is well suited for farming and does not need much accommodation. Many farmers are satisfied with the decision to begin to breed ostrich, as they receive quite a lot of benefit from them.