Ostrich

Description:

Ostriches weigh from 63-145 kgs. Ostriches from east Africa range from 115-100 kg in male and female species. In the male species their height ranges from 6-9 ft at the height of sexual maturity. while females range from 5-7 ft when they reach sexual maturity. Male adult ostriches have black, white and white primaries, while females and young ostriches have grayish/ brown feathers with white. ostriches are said to have the largest eyes for a land vertabrate which lets them see predators from a great distance. Another creature that shares the same environment as the ostrich is the lion. They both live in the open drylands of north and south Africa. A symbiotic relationship that an ostrich has is mutualism with a gazelle, not a direct partnership but when a gazelle runs away from a predator, it hints to the ostrich that it should make a break for it. and since the ostrich has very good eye sight it can see the predators from far away. The ostrich uses sexual reproduction in order to have chicks.

Habitat:

Ostriches are mainly found in north and south Africa. some also in the Sahara. there also many farmed ostriches in Australia, Asia and some arabian ares. It is said that the arabian ostrich was hunted into extinction in the early 20th century. there are no pictures of arabian ostriches. Ostriches like open spaces so they can see predators from far away and that is way the prefer open lands in Africa and deserts. Ostriches eat mainly seeds, shrubs, fruits and other plants. they will sometimes eats small bugs, but since they do not have teeth they swallow pebbles that act like grinders to mash there food. there main predators are lions and other hunting animals with sharp teeth and claws. They interact with their environment since they usually live on bare dry land they can keep an eye out for any predators and can spot them from a great distance, which gives the ostrich a head start.

Notes:

Ostriches usually are in pairs or alone. When being threatened they lay their head and neck flat so they look lie they are part of the landscape. When threatened they usually run away and can maintain their speed for a long time. But if they feel that they are under stress or have to protect their chicks they will kick and claw, and it was proven that their claws are so sharp that they can disemboweling and even killing their opponent.