| The ostrich (struthio camelus) is a member of a | | | | hisses and dancing. |
| group of birds known as ratites, that is they are | | | | Once divided into mating groups, ostriches in |
| flightless birds without a keel to their breastbone. | | | | some areas use communal nests to hold |
| They are the tallest and heaviest living bird. Most | | | | anywhere from 14 to 60 eggs. The nest is a hole |
| wild ostriches are found in fragmented groups in | | | | scraped in bare ground about 1 to 2 feet deep. |
| West, East and South Africa with the majority | | | | The average egg is 6 inches in length, 5 inches in |
| living in protected game reserves on the east of | | | | width, weighs about 3 pounds, and is shiny and |
| the continent. They are well adapted to living in | | | | whitish in color. Eggs take approximately 35 - 40 |
| dry conditions and are able to survive dehydration | | | | days to hatch. |
| of up to 25%. Ostriches have been succesfully | | | | The Ostrich Industry: |
| domesticated and are now farmed throughout | | | | There are two reasons for this high growth rate |
| the world, particularly in South Africa, for meat, | | | | in ostrich farming is that first, the ostrich is a fairly |
| feathers and leather. The leather goes through a | | | | easy animal to farm, requiring little land and small |
| tanning process and is then manufactured into | | | | amounts of feed. Second, the ostrich reproduces |
| fashion accessories such as boots and bags. | | | | and grows extremely quickly, thus their |
| World Movement of the African Ostrich: | | | | profitability is increased. Third, the price of the |
| The ostrich industry started in the feather trade | | | | ostrich market is currently extremely high, and |
| thousands of years ao and dates back to the | | | | can be quite profitable if a farmer involves himself |
| earliest civilisations, namely the Egyptian, Assirian | | | | with investors, and this profitability in which the |
| and Babilonian empires. | | | | ostrich has maintained. The initial price of getting |
| The African continent, especially the desert areas | | | | into the ostrich market can be extremely high, |
| with their vast open spaces, is apparently the | | | | but once firmly anchored in the market for five |
| natural home of these birds. Since the earliest | | | | years or longer, the farmer can see a |
| times ostrich feathers have been used as | | | | considerable gain in profitability. |
| decoration. As the ostrich feather has its midriff | | | | South Africa's foot-and-mouth advantage: |
| exactly in the middle of the plume with an even | | | | In Europe, a continent obsessed with cuisine, |
| amount of feathers on either sice, it was the | | | | chefs are facing new ostrich culinary challenges as |
| symbol of justice in ancient Egypt. | | | | fears of mad cow disease spread |
| Ostrich Conservation: | | | | The country's ostrich farmers are benefiting, as |
| Ostriches were almost wiped out in the 18th | | | | European confidence in red meat products |
| century due to hunting for feathers. By the middle | | | | plummets after successive health scares. Ostrich |
| of the 19th century, due to the extensive | | | | meat has the colour and consistency of beef but |
| practice of ostrich farming the ostrich population | | | | provides a healthy red-meat alternative, being low |
| increased. The movement changed to | | | | in fat and cholesterol. The price of ostrich |
| domesticating and plucking ostriches, instead of | | | | carcasses has risen by 25% in recent months. |
| hunting. | | | | South Africa itself suffered an outbreak of |
| Ostrich Reproduction: | | | | foot-and-mouth disease only last year. |
| Ostriches form bisexual groups with a complex | | | | Africa, long seen as the hungry continent, may |
| structure. Territorial males compete for flocks of | | | | end up feeding plentiful Europe. |
| 3 to 5 hens. Mating includes elaborate displays of | | | | |