Ostrich

Animal facts

The Ostrich, Struthio camelus, grows to about 2.8 m in height and is the largest of all living birds. Although it can’t fly, the Ostrich can run at speeds of up to 70kmh, outrunning most animals on the Savannah.
An Ostrich egg is about the size of a small melon and in dry areas such as the Kalahari, hunter-gatherer tribes use them to carry water in.

For the last 200 years the wild Ostrich population has declined dramatically, but are presently not endangered.

Where they live

West to East Africa and parts of South Africa

Habitat

Open grasslands and shrub

What they eat

Plants and insects

IUCN status

Locally common