HOME PLAN YOUR VISIT ANIMALS & GARDENS WHAT’S ON GET INVOLVED EDUCATION SHOP ONLINE CONSERVATION HOME : ANIMALS & GARDENS : BIRDS : OSTRICH OSTRICH (Struthio camelus) STATUS Least Concern AGE 30–40 years HABITAT & DISTRIBUTION Grasslands and semi-arid areas (desert) in Africa from Egypt down to South Africa. WHAT THEY EAT Ostriches will eat pretty much anything! A large part of their diet consists of plants, especially roots, leaves, and seeds, but they also eat insects and small animals like lizards. Ostriches eat things that other animals cannot digest. They have tough intestines that are up to 14 metres long so that they can absorb as many nutrients from their food as possible. They also swallow sand and small stones to help grind up food in their gizzard. An average ostrich breeds at 3 to 4 years old and lays eggs weighing 1.5kg (that is 24 times the weight of a chicken egg) and measuring 15cm long. Eggs take between 42 to 46 days to hatch. Animal Facts Ostriches can sprint in short bursts up to 43 miles per hour, and they can maintain a steady speed of 30 miles per hour (50 kilometres per hour). This makes them the second fastest land animal after the Cheetah. When running, a single ostrich stride can measure up to 5 metres long! To defend themselves, they have a 10-centimeter claw on each foot and their kick is powerful enough to kill a lion or a human being. Ostriches do not need to drink water, since they get what they need from the plants they eat, although they will drink if they come to a water hole. Ostrich skeletons and fossils have been found which date back over 120 million years. Ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand! When threatened and there is no chance of escape, they actually lie motionless on the ground. The pale colouration of their head and neck makes it appear as if they have buried their heads. An ostrich egg would take 1 ½ hours to hard boil! 7 ANIMALS & GARDENS Birds Mammals Primates & Small Mammals Reptiles & Amphibians Gardens Web Cams ADOPT AN ANIMAL Provide a helpful contribution towards the costs of keeping and feeding the animals. GET INVOLVED Go behind the scenes and be a keeper for a day or experience an animal encounter. SHOP ONLINE Shop online for Day E-tickets, Annual membership, Adoptions and much more. ABOUT US MEDIA CENTRE CONTACT US VACANCIES WORK EXPERIENCE COOKIES PRIVACY POLICY TERMS & CONDITIONS Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4JP T: +44 (0) 1993 823 006 E: enquiries@cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk Registered office: Bradwell Grove, Burford Oxfordshire OX18 4JP | Registered in England No. 1005032. © 2021 Copyright Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens. Our website uses cookies. You can read how we use them in ourcookie information.// ACCEPT //