For the first time in its more than 270-year history, Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna has successfully recorded the natural hatching and parental rearing of North African red-necked ostriches (Struthio camelus camelus), one of the world’s most threatened ostrich subspecies.
The four chicks hatched in June and are being raised entirely by their parents without artificial incubation, representing an important achievement for the European conservation breeding programme dedicated to the subspecies.
Fewer than 1,000 North African red-necked ostriches are believed to survive in the wild, with the largest remaining population found in Chad, making every successful hatch particularly significant.
«For us, this is an important milestone. Due to poaching and habitat loss, this subspecies of the African ostrich is threatened with extinction. Its population is estimated at no more than 1,000 individuals. The largest population lives in the Republic of Chad in Central Africa. We are especially proud that artificial incubation of the eggs was not necessary because the breeding pair displayed completely natural nesting behaviour», said Dr Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck, Director of Schönbrunn Zoo.
A conservation breakthrough
The breeding pair prepared a shallow sandy nest before taking turns incubating the eggs for approximately 45 days. Since the chicks hatched, both parents have continued to care for them, with the male playing a particularly important role in protecting the young.
The successful natural incubation demonstrates that the birds can complete their entire reproductive cycle under managed care without human intervention, an encouraging result for the long-term conservation of this endangered subspecies.
Growing at an extraordinary pace
The chicks are already growing remarkably fast, gaining up to three centimetres in height every day. They currently weigh around eight kilograms, although they still have a long way to go before reaching the impressive size of their parents.
«You can almost watch the chicks grow before your eyes. They grow by up to three centimetres every day. At their current weight of around eight kilograms, they still need to eat plenty of grasses, seeds, insects and leaves to reach the size of their parents. Male North African red-necked ostriches can weigh up to 150 kilograms», explained Dr Folko Balfanz, Head of the Zoo Department at Schönbrunn Zoo.
The North African red-necked ostrich is the largest subspecies of the African ostrich and the largest living bird on Earth. Perfectly adapted to life on the African savannah, it can sprint at speeds exceeding 70 km/h, while its eggs are the largest laid by any living bird.
