Endangered
Species Report: African Ostrich (Sparrow camel)
By: Daniel
Shipley
http://www.scc.net/~rodl/fuji1.htm Taken
by: Rod
General Information:
The common name for the Ostrich in the world as humans use is the Ostrich.
The scientific name is the Sparrow Camel and the nickname for the Ostrich is the
goonie bird says David C. Houston. Ostriches eat bulk of food is vegetation,
fruit, seeds, leaves, shoots, shrubs, succulent plants; also invertebrates,
occasionally lizards, and other small vertebrates. The ostrich comes from all
of Africa. The birds live above ground. Their heads are as strong as helmet
from the olden times with knights.
Physical Description:
The ostrich is a Bird. “Ostriches are usually 200 – 290 pounds, but the
male has a record of 340 pounds being the weight. Female ostriches range from 5
feet – 6 feet. The males will be about 6-9 feet tall” (Lesley Fountain). So if
it were to stand next to me I think I would look rather small, compared to its
weight and height. The feathers can provide shade for their chicks. The
feathers on an Ostrich are softer then the stiff bird feathers. On the wings at
the end of them there are two claws. The legs of an Ostrich lack
feathers. (Lesley Fountain) “The Ostrich stands on two toes, but the bigger one
resembles a hoof. So if the hoof is serving as the foot, that is how they must
get their speed and their powerful kicks.” The eyes on an Ostrich happen to be
the biggest eyes of all living animals.
Other:
The life span of an ostrich is about 40 years. With ostriches long necks it
helps them see long distances. Their eyes are the biggest animal eyes their
hearing is excellent. Their long legs help them run fast to get a way from
predators, and to catch their prey (says Lesley). Their long necks go to the
ground for hiding purposes from their predator.
Breeding Habits:
(Trace states) “A Ostrich will mate where there is enough food, water, and
good weather.” “When a baby ostrich is born they are only 10 inches tall and
are 2 pounds heavy (says the book The ostrich family).” Lesley Fountain begins
to say that ostriches start maturing about 2-4 years old, but females are about
6 months earlier then males. He also predicts that the mating season begins
sometime in march or April, and ends in September. Duncan Burthart describes
the mating for the ostriches. He says that males will typically hiss and other
sounds to fight for a group of 2 to 5 females. The winner of these fights will
breed with all the females in an area but the dominant female will lay their
eggs in a single nest. He goes on to describe the nest which will be a pit scraped in the ground and 30
to 60 cm deep. So it is kind of like a birds nest, except in the ground and of
dirt. The nest will contain a decent amount of 15 to 60 eggs with an average
egg behind 6 inches long, and 5 inches wide. Duncan says that the eggs are
shiny and whitish in color. The eggs are incubated by the females everyday and
by the male at night, making use of the different colors of the two sexes to
escape detection. Typically, the male will tend to the hatchlings for obvious
reasons. As I have learned from that section, they will mate different then
most animals, I thought it was interesting how they fought in order to be the
one to mate.
Feeding Behavior:
Ostriches wander where food is most ready for them to get. But they never
leave their water. Ostriches need about 8 liters a day says Trace Whiffler. The
ostrich’s most important sense from their eyesight and hearing. For their
speed, their long legs are able to take them long distances in search of food
and water. Cody states that their legs can also give powerful kicks that will
seriously injure their predator or kill them. With that being said, do not make
an ostrich mad. Ostriches lay their head on the ground from being seen by their
preys. “Ostriches mainly eat grasses, insects, fruits, seeds, and nuts.
Sometimes they will eat small mammals and reptiles where they chase them by
running. Cheetahs are probably the main predator of ostrich, but lion, leopard,
wild dog, and spotted hyena can also be a threat.”(Perrins)
Conservation Efforts:
The Ostrich has some reasons for becoming endangered. One of them is
because people have found reasons for buying and selling them. (Bertram,
R.C.B.)”The main attractions for buying ostriches are 1) a red meat which is lower
in fat and cholesterol than turkey, 2) leather which is extremely durable with
unique markings and 3) decorative by-products, namely, feathers and eggs. Their
feathers were highly favored for a while by women.” I think it is sad that we
have to use other living things in order to get what we want to look nice or
have good food but it is today’s world. Other than that they are most likely
endangered because of poachers shooting them for their feathers. Bertram says
that there is no record how many ostriches are left over in the world. In some
parts of Africa the ostrich is listed as an endangered bird. There really is
nothing being done to protect the ostriches because there is still such a
strong need for them.
Summary:
The reason I picked the African Ostrich was because ostriches have always
interested me. The way they run so fast. The way that they are so strong and
powerful that they can kill their predators with one kick. A couple things I
learned while doing this project was their long necks can also be hid into the
ground. The way they do that is they lie down and their neck goes flat on the
ground and it becomes almost invisible, I thought that their necks would give
it away to anyone who would see them. I wish that the poachers, and hunters
would stop hunting such an amazing bird.
Sources:
[1] "Ostrich." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopedia
Britannica Online. 29 Mar. 2006 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9057618>. David
C. Houston—Bruce Coleman Ltd.
American Ostrich Association. 3840 Hulen Street, Suite 210, Fort Worth, TX
76107
Coody, Dale. 1987. Ostriches: Your
Great Opportunity. 4-C Ostrich Farm, Rt. 1, Box 71A, Lawton, OK 73501.
Fowler, M.E., 1986. Zoo and Wild
Animal Medicine. Second edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co.
Whiffler, Trace. Whiffler Ranch & The Roost. Box 86, Rhame, ND 58651.
Personal communication. April 1993.
“ostrich family,” Animals - Birds, 2nd edition pg 204
http://www.americazoo.com/kids/ostrich.htm
http://www.buschgardens.org/animal-info/animal-
bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordates/craniata/aves/struthioniformes/ostrich.htm
Bertran, R.C.B The Ostrich Communal
Nesting System. New Jersey: Princeton University press, 1992
Grzimek, H.C. Grzimek’s Animal Life
Encyclopedia Vol. 7. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1992
Perrins, C.M. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds: The Definitive
Reference to Birds of the World. New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1990.
http://www.wild watch.com/resources/birds/ostrich.asp Duncan
Butchart -