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South Africa produces about 70% of global ostrich products, [4] with the industry largely centered around the town of Oudtshoorn. Ostrich leather is a lucrative commodity, and the large feathers are used as plumes for the decoration of ceremonial headgear. Ostrich eggs and meat have been used by humans for millennia.
The common ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird. Males stand 2.1 to 2.75 m (6 ft 11 in to 9 ft 0 in) tall and weigh 100 to 130 kg (220 to 290 lb), whereas females are about 1.75 to 1.9 m (5 ft 9 in to 6 ft 3 in) tall and weigh 90 to 120 kg (200 to 260 lb). [20]
Depending on the South American region, the rhea is known locally as ñandú guazu (Guaraní –or related Tupi nhandú-gûasú– meaning "big spider" [5] most probably concerning their habit of opening and lowering alternate wings when they run), [citation needed] ema , suri (Aymara and Quechua), [6] [7] or choique .
The group took custody of several dozen animals, including a five-month-old, female South American ostrich — or lesser rhea — named Eddy found in the crowded basement.
Ostrich farming in North America began in the late 19th century, initially focusing on the production of feathers, which were highly prized for fashion accessories. [3] The first ostrich farm was established by Charles Sketchley in California where the climate was similar to the ostriches' native habitat in Africa. [ 4 ]
A male Somali ostrich in a Kenyan savanna, showing its blueish neck. Today ostriches are only found natively in the wild in Africa, where they occur in a range of open arid and semi-arid habitats such as savannas and the Sahel, both north and south of the equatorial forest zone. [14]
The Masai ostrich (Struthio camelus massaicus), also known as the East African ostrich is a red-necked subspecies variety of the common ostrich and is endemic to East Africa. [2] [3] It is one of the largest birds in the world, second only to its sister subspecies Struthio camelus camelus. [4] Today it is farmed for eggs, meat, and feathers. [5 ...
The North African ostrich, [1] red-necked ostrich, or Barbary ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) is the nominate subspecies of the common ostrich from West and North Africa. It has the largest average size among the subspecies of ostriches, making it the largest living bird .