Ostrich at Casela nature parks

Ostriches belong to the family of birds called Ratites (running birds), a species that also includes Emus, Nandus, Kiwis, and Casoars. The ostrich is the largest living bird and is believed to be of a very ancient lineage, over 60 million years old. The African variety, Struthio Camelus Domesticus, is native to South Africa. The ostrich is bred for its meat, skin and feathers. With its long legs, the bird makes strides of more than 6m, at a speed of more than 70 km/h. The adult male weighs about 140/170 kg and the female 110/130 kg. This bird measures from 2,15 to 2,45m. Omnivorous, but essentially vegetarian, it feeds on grass, alfalfa, fruits and water. The average life span of an ostrich is 65 years. The ostrich has two fingers, only one of which is equipped with a nail, the striking power is 400 kg on impact, so the nail becomes a dangerous weapon, capable of disrupting potential predators such as a lion. The ostrich reaches its sexual maturity at 2 years for the female and at more than 3 years for the male. The laying season starts in April and ends in September. She can reproduce for 40 years. An egg is laid every three days, an average of 30 to 60 eggs in the season. Incubation lasts 42 days. The average ostrich egg weighs 1.700 kg and is equivalent to 24 chicken eggs. In the wild, all females in the group lay eggs in the same nest, but the male and the dominant female incubate the eggs. The newborns measure about 20 cm and weigh between 800 g and 1 kg. They grow 15 cm per month during the first ten months. Ostriches can be easily seen in Mauritius at Casela Nature Parks at Cascavelle village.